A space attentive to energy saving and sustainable use of energy, welcoming and comfortable, with many relaxation areas dedicated to reading and reflection: this is the ‘library of the future’ imagined by the children of the primary school of the Don Milani comprehensive institute of Bari. An environment first designed by young students, then transformed into a model made with recycled materials, as part of the ‘The more I know. Less consumption’, which in the current school year involved two fourth grade classes in the De Fano school.
A project thanks to which the children, supported by teachers, explored issues related to conscious and efficient energy consumption, respect for the environment, while at the same time developing new technical skills. The model of the ‘home automation library’, in fact, was created by the young students using Arduino, an electronic board equipped with a microcontroller which allowed the children to program the functioning of the different parts of the building with a view to optimizing consumption.
“This is the second year that we have participated in this project proposed by Eni Plenitude – explains the school director, Zoreaide Cappabianca – in which the children participated with great enthusiasm. Through this path, not only the students were able to develop attitudes and skills related to Stem disciplines, for which our school has always had great attention, but a collaborative style has also been created within the classes”. Furthermore, the project also included specific moments of technical training for teachers: “There were meetings, even remotely, with trainers and experts made available by Eni Plenitude, with whom on May 6th we will hold the final event of the project”.
And it was the children themselves who chose the library as the environment to recreate: “Certainly an important space, which they – the manager continues – imagined as a space for reflection, welcoming and full of relaxation areas. They created their ideal library, arranging sofas, very comfortable corners. They imagined an environment of well-being”. Obviously, as mentioned, with a particular eye on energy sustainability, and also on respect for the environment, through the use of recycled materials. A work that the entire school community was able to follow step by step in its evolution: the model, in fact, was positioned in the school atrium, giving everyone the opportunity to witness its creation. “It was nice to be able to follow the work in progress, to see the progress of this activity. Soon we will also organize another meeting to present the model to the families of the children, who have worked so hard in recent months and are proud of what has been achieved” .
