Big changes have been happening at our Chessel Centre recently, courtesy of a West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Green Business Grant, and they’re all about keeping things cooler, greener and more energy efficient.
Changing up the Chessel Centre
We wanted to make our Centre into a greener, more efficient building. So, back in April, Solar Sentry Window Films Ltd worked their magic and installed solar window film on all our windows. The film helps cut down the amount of heat that sneaks in through the glass, keeping our spaces more comfortable, especially in hot weather.
In June we took things one step further, when Your Eco Construction Ltd, installed brand new solar panels on our roof. The panels will help us generate clean electricity and reduce how much we will need to draw from the grid.
And there is still more to come! Watch this space as we install Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) units soon. The MVHRs will capture heat from outgoing air and use it to warm the fresh air coming in. So, they’ll help us stay cosy in the colder months without wasting energy. Win-win!
Getting our preschoolers involved
We are always looking for ways to help our nursery friends to understand the world around them. The children were excited to watch the builders work, and so we decided to talk about green energy.
First of all, we talked about energy in general. How we eat food to give our bodies energy. Why plugging in a lamp gives a light bulb energy. How putting petrol in our car makes it go. Then we talked about how we can use energy from the world around us and how this is wonderful, because we will always have wind and waves and sun to help us to power things.
Wonderful windmills
Our small scientists were particularly interested in how we use wind for energy. We watched a short video about wind turbines to explain how turning the blades can be used for power. Our little friends were fascinated with this idea and so we decided to make our own windmills.
To begin, we drew designs on the sails of their windmills, making sure they would be colourful when they turned. With the help of their adult friends, we then carefully folded the sails in and pinned them to a straw.
Then we used all our puff to blow on them to test how quickly the windmills could turn.
And then, having used up all our energy creating our windmills, we had a snack to refuel and continue our learning for the rest of the day.
Thank you WECA, for providing us with the inspiration for our wonderful windmills!