This is one structure which is living up to its eco-friendly outlook! The Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environmental Education and Research, which is a part of the Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University at Dhankawadi, embraces the concept of environment in the edifice itself.It is made of Goka stone, which happens to be a stone with a purpose. Light cream in colour, it has the ability to reflect the harsh sunlight, keeping the interiors cool. Moreover, it gives the building an attractive look and is maintenance-free, ruling out the need to repaint the structure every few years.Erach Bharucha, director, chose the stone keeping it's excellent qualities in mind. He, along with architect Vijaya Yadav, planned the building, lay-out and landscaping to the the last detail, which has finally emerged as an eco-system in itself. ``The school has been built on the lines of a Maharashtrian wada. All the buildings have central courtyards allowing enough light and air,'' he says. And with the Goka stone performing it's task, the lack of fans and fancy lighting is perfectly understandable. The redoubtable stone also doubles up as stone seats in the waiting arena, and as a desk top in the Director's cabin.Administration and research work take place in the main block, but there are more interesting facets to the centre's character. An activity centre, which is in the last stage of completion, is waiting for the fish tank (the main attraction) and other hands-on teaching aids, like computers and charts, ideal for educating children. The outer courtyard wears the ethnic look as it is paved with bricks. It holds a fountain, which uses recycled water, released through ducts and leads to an open fish tank. Under the open sky, the courtyard is a delightful place to sit in and watch the water take its course.Says Shamita Kumar, lecturer at the school, ``these are interactive exhibits and are open to outsiders, provided they give us prior intimation. We are also installing a terra-aquarium.'' And there are more attractions at the site - a greenhouse and an adjoining nursery for plants, a butterfly house and a nature trail. And that is not enough either, work is on to create an aquatic ecosystem, namely a pond, which will flow on one side of the building.``The nature trail and the green house are made specifically to preserve the deciduous and evergreen trees endemic to the Western Ghats. And also to enable young students to study their habits,'' explains Bharucha, on why he took the trouble to incorporate this into the plan. The butterfly house nurtures food plants which the caterpillars feed on. It is covered by a fine net and like a greenhouse, water sprinklers provide the moisture.This is one centre, which makes it a pleasure to study in!
