Anglesey’s first ‘green’ school has won a national award for sustainability.
The Isle of Anglesey County Council received the CLAW (Consortium of Local Authorities) Sustainability Award 2009 for Ysgol y Graig in Llangefni, beating off competition from projects across Wales.
The Llangefni school has been designed with energy saving and green features, including a sustainable timber structure, and a ‘green roof’. The school also breaks new ground as it produces over 50% of its own electricity through photovoltaic roof tiles and a wind turbine, with surplus electricity sold back to the national grid when school consumption is low.
The school is within walking or cycling distance for the majority of the children, and a direct footpath links the nearby housing estate creating a safe route to school for pupils.
Property portfolio holder, Councillor William I Hughes, said: “This is great news for the school and the Council, and I am delighted that Ysgol y Graig has been recognised in this way.
“The school is a landmark development for the Council in both design and construction. Due to its greenfield location it was important that it was sympathetic to the natural surroundings with sustainability one of the key considerations in the project’s development.”
Education portfolio holder, Cllr Goronwy O Parry MBE, said: “The Council supported by the Welsh Assembly Government invested £4.8 million in this project and we are proud of what we have achieved at the school. It provides its pupils with an excellent learning environment as well as teaching them about the importance of sustainability and the environment.”
The CLAW award was launched in 2006 to promote excellence in the field of sustainable development in Welsh local authorities. With a growing awareness of the importance of sustainability the annual award aims to enhance the status of green and environmental initiatives like Ysgol y Graig.
