Net-Zero Residential School Pilot Project Launched at APSWREIS Campus
A mass plantation drive marked the occasion, with students and green volunteers participating.
Vijayawada: With a view to promoting sustainable education, the Andhra Pradesh government in partnership with Heartfulness launched a Net-Zero Residential School pilot project at the APSWREIS Residential School in Kuntamukkala, near here on Wednesday.
Designed as an Integrated Ecological Campus, the pilot aims to serve as a scalable model for residential schools. It addresses issues relating to energy use, water consumption and wastewater generation on large campuses by transforming these into low-energy, water-positive and carbon-negative ecosystems.
Green belts, wetlands, a small rainforest, dense plantations, microgreens and biodiversity zones form the thrust areas of the project.
The launch was attended by Kesineni Sivanath MP, MLA Vasantha Venkata Krishna Prasad, G Lakshmisha, district collector and senior officials of APSWREIS and the Forests by Heartfulness representatives.
A mass plantation drive marked the occasion, with students and green volunteers participating.
Sivanath said introducing Net-Zero concepts in residential schools would nurture environmental responsibility among students and create student-driven ecosystems across AP. Krishna Prasad said such initiatives would help build a generation of environmentally conscious youth with a lasting impact.
Ramakantha, chairman of Forests by Heartfulness and Saravanan Subramanian, its director, stated that the seven-year project targets negative carbon emissions, improved soil health and biodiversity, and a 40–70 per cent reduction in freshwater usage.
Student Green Clubs would monitor plantations, wetlands and waste systems, promote daily sustainability practices, manage composting and recycled water, and conduct periodic audits.
