Ananda College gets new eco-friendly learning lab

The foundation stone was laid yesterday for the state-of-the-art Planet Green Force (PGF) Centre, a new eco-friendly learning lab at Ananda College, Colombo incorporating the four pillars of UNESCO Green Academies and the latest sustainable features.

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha laid the foundation stone at the school premises along with Dr. Benno Boer, Chief of the Natural Sciences Unit at UNESCO New Delhi, Principal D.M. Lal Dissanayake, PGF Founder Harith Wickrema and Yohan De Silva (Head Prefect 1974).

During the event, Minister Premajayantha highlighted the importance of protecting the environment. He also emphasised that the United Nations gives special attention to climate change issues. “In every UN-sponsored programme, international meetings, and forums, climate change is a major area of discussion,” the Minister said.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Boer stated, “Mother Earth’s ecosystems provide air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat. We must do our part to ensure that this relationship continues by learning to live in harmony with nature.” he added, “UNESCO would be happy to be your partner.”

Speaking at the event, Prof. Wickrema, founder of Planet Green Force and Head Prefect of Ananda College in 1975, highlighted the importance of English language learning. “The next generation of change-makers and world leaders tackling issues such as global warming and food security must be able to communicate in English, the global language.”

The cutting-edge Centre will serve as the flagship for Planet Green Force, a new environmental league for youth from PreK-12, which launched at the school earlier this year. It will be the first UNESCO Green Academy, with programming and structure also embracing Climate Science Literacy and the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The PGF Centre will be a learning, teaching, and research hub—a living laboratory. Designed by Ananda alumnus Architect Muditha Jayakody, the Centre will be visually stunning, showcasing green artistry alongside the latest technical features and the highest level of green construction practices. These include water conservation, sustainable waste management, clean energy solutions, energy-efficient building design for optimal performance, 360-degree features, and the use of recycled materials wherever possible, embracing cradle-to-cradle principles.