Students Educational Cultural Movement of Ladakh SECMOL India

Students' Educational & Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), India Volunteering Experience, Dec 2010 -Feb 2011 Swati Negi, MEG 2006 -2008 Ladakh is the northernmost region in the Jammu & Kashmir State of India. It can be called a ‘Trans. Himalayan high altitude desert’ with minimum temperature in winters -20°C to -35° and hardly any rainfall. Leh, the capital, is at 11, 500 feet (3500 m). The cold climate of Ladakh generates a high demand for heating. But lack of rainfall makes trees and firewood scarce. However, its average of 300 days of sunshine per year makes this region especially suited for solar energy. Since 1994 SECMOL has developed solar heated buildings and other forms of solar energy to make its The SECMOL is primarily involved in bringing reforms in formal school education in Ladakh. However, SECMOL is unique for the fact that its entire campus is built on the Green Building principle campus at Phey self-reliant. The campus was an empty desert when it was established, but it now has animals, gardens and trees. There are three cows on the campus and some chickens. Apart from providing milk and eggs, the animals also utilise left-over food. The greenhouses provide vegetables even in the coldest of winter, and thousands of trees are now growing on campus. The gardens are organic, using only natural manure and no chemicals. SECMOL buildings and passive solar design SECMOL buildings are completely independent of conventional heating methods such as firewood stoves or gas or electric heaters. They are designed to absorb heat from the sun and to store it for as long as possible. This method is called ‘passive solar design, ’ as distinct from active designs which use circulating water pipes, air blowers, or other moving parts. Running solely on passive solar heating, the temperature in the main building at SECMOL Campus has been: Average evening temperature in winter: +14°C Minimum in a normal winter: +10°C Minimum observed in 11 years: +8°C In the main building at Phey Campus the stair wells have geranium and other plants blooming and flourishing even in January when the minimum outside temperature is -25°C. “Inspiring change towards a green economy”. SECMOL practices simple ideas that work, such as : : Use of south facing windows, as the sun stays low in the southern sky in winter. • A greenhouse attached the south side for the winter. • The greenhouses are removed in springtime to prevent overheating. • Skylights are covered with glass or clear plastic to trap warm air. • Thick earthen walls and floors (thermal mass) to store collected heat. • Green vegetables growing even in the extreme winter inside the greenhouse Sheyson Solar Earthworks A commercial, income-generating section, Sheyson Solar Earthworks ran from the year 2000 till 2008 to build solar buildings on turn-key contract for private homes, the government, NGOs, and the army. The profits from Shesyon Solar Earthworks supported educational reform, environmental awareness activities etc. Starting in 2009 Shesyon Solar Earthworks is on hold. Indian Army goes Green in ladakh and Sheyson has played a significant role in it. . Solar panels @ SECMOL The solar buildings of the primary schools around Ladakh now make it possible to run the schools in winter and close in spring, so that children get agricultural experience together with academic education. SECMOL building is a meeting point of Economy, Ecology and Comfort and thus sets a great example for the rest of India to adopt green building principles and effectively use solar enery to meet the energy. requirement of the country. Acknowledgement: My heartfelt thanks to Becky (Ms. Rebecca Norman) and her team in SECMOL for her warm welcome to the organization and immense co-operation throughout my volunteering work. Solar panels (primary reflectors) fitted outside the Kitchen for cooking purpose @ SECMOL Information Courtesy: www. secmol. org info@secmol. org For any funding aid or volunteering help, kindly contact: SECMOL P. O. Box 4. Leh, . Ladakh 194101 India Phey campus: +91 -1982 -226120 Leh Office: +91 -1982 -252421, 253012 info@secmol. org