Wednesday, May 18, 2011

What are 5 Green Stars?

The Green Star rating system was developed by the NZ Green Building Council in partnership with the building industry. Green Star is a comprehensive, national, voluntary environmental rating scheme that evaluates a building's environmental impact based on site selection, design, construction and maintenance. The categories that buildings are evaluated against are:
• Management
• Indoor Environment Quality
• Energy
• Transport
• Water
• Materials
• Land Use & Ecology
• Emissions

Credits are awarded within each category based on the building's environmental merits. Points are then weighted and an overall score is calculated, determining the project's Green Star NZ rating.

The ratings that can be achieved are:
4 Star Green Star NZ Certified Rating - signifying 'Best Practice'
5 Star Green Star NZ Certified Rating - signifying 'New Zealand Excellence'
6 Star Green Star NZ Certified Rating - signifying 'World Leadership'

Refer to www.nzgbc.org.nz for more information.

The Amesbury School design team have incorporated a variety of environmental attributes and principles that will contribute to the targeted 5 Star Green Star NZ Certified Rating. These environmental attributes will reduce the impact of the buildings' construction and ongoing resource requirements, and will also provide an important learning resource for all those that pass through its gates.

Monday, May 16, 2011

WOW - Have you seen the new sign?

The construction consortium have erected a new sign on the site which includes a colour image of what the school will look like. Next time you are walking past you might like to stop and take a closer look.

The sign also includes our school logo, a large green 'A' for Amesbury School on a blue background. The logo's five shades of green represent the schools' five core values:
- Learning through innovation, inquiry and curosity
- Respect for diversity
- Excellence
- Connectivity with the community, and
- Positive relationships that reflect equity and integrity

Green was selected because it is the colour of nature and life. Blue can be associated with optimism and hope - as in blue skies. The brand will be reflected in school signage, sports uniforms, letterhead and the forthcoming school website.