The Greenhouse Grand Opening
On Thursday 23 November, we officially launched our groundbreaking net-zero building, The Greenhouse. The ceremony was a momentous occasion for Dulwich College (Singapore) and Education in Motion (EiM), as progressive leaders in education. The Greenhouse exemplifies our dedication to Singapore's 2030 Green Plan.
We were joined by prestigious invitees, including honoured guests, Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and the Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration; Her Excellency Kara Owen, the British High Commissioner to Singapore; members of the British Chamber of Commerce and British Council. The event was also joined by esteemed guests from our project partners, DP Architects and Sustainable Design, the Singapore Economic Development Board, KTP Consultants, Attika Interiors, AGC Asia Pacific, Turner & Townsend and Rice Renewables; as well as members of OCBC, HSBC and Standard Charted.
The opening ceremony kicked off at the Auditorium with speeches by Nick Magnus, Head of College, who welcomed our guests and shared about the College’s mission “to create learning environments where students develop the knowledge, skills and motivation to have a positive impact.” Karen Yung, Co-Founder and Chief Collaboration Officer of EiM reinforces that message, stressing on how “in a world faced with environmental, social, and economic challenges, environmental sustainability focused education has never been more important.”
The ceremony concluded with a few words from Mr Desmond Lee, who shared during his speech at the event, “I applaud Dulwich College and Education in Motion for your efforts in pushing the boundaries of energy efficiency and would encourage more organisations to follow suit,” adding that “educational institutions such as Education in Motion are leading the way by integrating sustainability into everyday life, through holistic and experiential learning. Overall, The Greenhouse’s value lies in its ability to give its students a renewed sense of ownership and confidence, as well as the tools to lead and make a positive impact in our world.”
Following the launch ceremony, guests made their way up to the IB Common Room for refreshments before embarking on an official tour. Just outside the Common Room, our guests were treated to panoramic views of the campus at the Rooftop Garden Amphitheatre, where Michael Barry, Project Director, and Loh Hai Yew, Director of DP Architects, elaborated on The Greenhouse's sustainable features. With 290 integrated solar cells and innovative rainwater harvesting systems, the building achieves over 100% energy savings and offsets 216 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
At the Black Box Theatre, Katrina Hegarty, Director of Performing Arts, showcased how energy-intensive equipment works together with net-zero energy solutions, highlighting a quality learning environments without compromising sustainability. Moving through the Design Studio, Kathryn Hall, Director of Art & Design Technology, noted the use of upcycled furniture and state-of-the-art learning spaces that integrate real-world problem-solving into the curriculum. The focus on sustainability continued with a glimpse into the Working Kitchen, promoting eco-friendly practices in the kitchen, and learn about the importance of reducing their carbon footprint by composting, recycling, and minimising food waste.
The tour concluded at the Kinetic Tiles at The Greenhouse entrance, where both Dr Polly Clayton, Director of Global Citizenship, and Mr Yong Siew Onn, Director of DP Sustainable Design, showcased the interactive features linking energy creation to a playful House game that was built for students – which our guests managed to have a go at themselves to see how much energy they could conjure! The kinetic floor tiles, coupled with a media wall that has a dashboard showing various energy measurements within the building, such as water consumption and energy, becomes an important source of data that students across science, mathematics, design and technology would be able to use to learn about energy consumption and inspire innovative methods of being sustainable.
We are grateful to our guests from taking the time to join us on this milestone at Dulwich College (Singapore) and thank all who contributed to making The Greenhouse a reality.
