On Tuesday morning, 26 November, at 11.30, Cllr Mpho Parks Tau, the executive mayor of Johannesburg, will inaugurate a revolutionary green school in a Soweto.
St Martin de Porres High School in Orlando West was established in 1947. Most of the classrooms consist of concrete fencing and tin roofs, and were built as temporary structures 50 years ago. The school will be replacing these temporary structures with purpose built green school buildings, the first of its kind in South Africa.
This school will be showcased by Johannesburg at the C40 Mayors Summit as an example of what South Africa is doing to combat climate change and build cities that are environmentally friendly. The Mayors Summit is a biennial meeting of mayors and technical experts from around the globe, and is being hosted by Johannesburg in February of 2014.
The Green School Concept, pioneered by LYT architects and Novo Domus Group, has been endorsed by the South African National Energy Association.
The program will include a word of welcome from Fr Bruce Botha, chairperson of the St Martin de Porres Trust, a word from the mayor on the significance of building green for the metropolitan city of Johannesburg, and a word from Mr Nayler on how this project in particular brings together green principles, materials and design strategies.