Growing green minds: A new outdoor climate and sustainability hub for Limerick students
Find out how our innovation accelerator programme JBA Labs supported the development of a one-of-a-kind outdoor sustainability hub for a Limerick school.
From classroom to community: Designing a space for sustainable learning
Following the introduction of a new Leaving Certificate subject, climate and sustainability are set to become a key part of the curriculum for many Irish schools. By providing an opportunity to gain hands-on experience engaging with complex and relevant sustainability challenges, the Climate Action and Sustainable Development Leaving Certificate curriculum aims to provide students with the knowledge and understanding to apply a solutions focused approach to living in a sustainable world.
So, when a Limerick school who were part of the pilot for the new course requested design expertise to support the development of a one-of-a-kind outdoor sustainability hub, we were delighted to be able to help.
While completing a Professional Diploma in Innovation for Sustainability at University College Dublin, Geography teacher, Tadhg O'Donovan, devised a concept that aimed to make it easier for schools to become more sustainable. This concept involved developing a layered approach focusing on both action and education. Firstly, a Whole School Sustainability Audit would invite schools to answer a series of targeted questions to establish their communities 'sustainability baseline'. This baseline would highlight areas that could be improved upon and provide a clear roadmap with actionable targets for the school to work towards.
The second aspect of the plan would come through the creation of a dedicated outdoor learning space, where students could learn about sustainability by engaging in practical learning activities. The proposed Innovation and Sustainability Hub will not only provide a valuable space for students to carry out hands-on sustainability projects and gather real life local data, it will also help to inspire the innovators of the future. With the benefits of outdoor education becoming more prevalent, the outdoor setting will also help to facilitate nature-based therapy and support stress relief for students.
Following the introduction of the new Climate Action and Sustainable Development Leaving Cert course, Tadhg approached JBA to leverage our expertise and bring the project to the next level.
The main features of the new sustainability hub would include a covered seating area for up to 30 students, a green roof that would allow students to examine the influence of surface water runoff, weather recording instruments, biodiversity habitats, a growing area, a sensory/water feature and an outdoor whiteboard. However, to support the school's bid to secure funding, a mock-up or 3D visual of the improved facilities, which could be used to support pitches, was required.
With the support of our in-house innovation accelerator programme, JBA Labs, we were delighted to not only develop the required project visuals but also provide a range of additional services. This included documenting the existing outdoor space to support landscape design and ensure accessibility needs were considered, as well as aiding the development of a digital school sustainability report and audit.
As a result of this project, the school's students will not only have greater opportunities to carry out hands-on sustainability projects and to collect and analyse data. They'll also actively contribute to the school sustainability report and audit, which can be used as a framework for other schools. Most importantly of all, they'll play a key role in demonstrating the benefits of the new Climate Action and Sustainable Development Leaving Certificate subject and highlighting the importance of climate and sustainability education.
For more information about our work to support this scheme, please contact Emily Amini.
