Throsby School opens as Canberra’s newest sustainable school

Canberra’s third zero emissions school has opened its doors for the 2022 school year.

Throsby School joins Margret Hendry School and Evelyn Scott School in delivering sustainable school facilities and contributes to our commitment to reach zero emissions by 2045.

Like other ACT public schools, the primary school’s landscaping design utilises native plants that require less water to establish and maintain growth. Irrigation of these plants is supported by underground water tanks which harvest rainwater from the school’s roof.

The water collected by these tanks will also be used to irrigate the school’s playing fields.

The school’s heating and cooling system is fully electric and uses carbon dioxide sensors to provide clean air throughout its buildings, and the programmed temperature ranges also maintain comfortable environments while lowering energy usage for the school.

The heating and cooling system and the school’s LED lights also use motion sensors in learning and administration areas, detecting when students or staff leave the room and switching to an energy saving mode until they return. The school’s layout takes advantage of natural light during the day, with the LED lights able to adjust the amount of light provided.

Besides the modern sustainability measures featured in the design of the school, there are also everyday practices children will be able to see and learn about.

To support and teach children about the importance of sorting and recycling practices, waste sorting facilities are featured in each learning community. The school also has composting facilities which will limit the amount of green waste going to landfill.

To learn more about recycling and waste management practices for your family visit our recycling and waste page.