Hanwha Recruiting Schools to Participate in 'Making Clear Schools' Program

Creation of Solar Power Facilities and Window-Type Ventilation Systems
New Support for Establishing Eco-Friendly Rest Areas

Hanwha Group's eco-friendly social contribution activity, "Creating Clean Schools," which supports air quality improvement facilities within elementary schools, is recruiting participant schools for its fourth year.

Conducted in partnership with the Environmental Foundation, Creating Clean Schools provides customized fine dust reduction facilities to improve indoor air quality in elementary schools, creating a healthy and safe educational environment for children. Up to the third year, Hanwha has provided an eco-friendly educational environment to 15 elementary schools nationwide, 489 classes, and approximately 12,000 students.

Last April, teachers and students at Nagok Elementary School in Yongin were observing the wall greening created through the Clear School project. (Photo by Hanwha)

Support includes solar power generation facilities, window-type ventilation systems, air shower air purifiers, air clean mats, and indoor wall greening projects. Starting this year, a new project to transform unused classrooms into eco-friendly rest areas has also been added.

This initiative has produced tangible fine dust reduction results in schools. At Bansong Elementary School in Changwon, selected in the third year, carbon dioxide levels decreased by up to 78% when the ventilation system installed in the gymnasium was operated. At Nagok Elementary School in Yongin, both fine dust (PM 10) and ultrafine dust (PM 2.5 and below) concentrations decreased by 66% compared to outside levels when the air shower and air purifiers were in use.

The newly launched eco-friendly rest area project is also expected to improve the educational environment for teachers and students. This project was planned in response to the increasing number of unused classrooms due to declining student numbers and the lack of comfortable spaces for children to rest outside the classroom amid fine dust that occurs regardless of the season. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s status report on "Classrooms Used in Seoul’s Elementary, Middle, and High Schools," the number of unused classrooms in Seoul’s elementary schools has steadily increased over the past three years (2021?2023), from 74 rooms in 2021 to 88 rooms in 2022, and 131 rooms in 2023.

Applications will be accepted from the 14th of this month until the 10th of next month through the Creating Clean Schools website. Anyone can apply, but if the applicant is not a school staff member, such as a parent or local resident, the consent procedure of the target school will be required. Final selection will be made based on the evaluation by a panel of expert advisors and on-site visits.

Selected schools will consult with experts in December and complete facility installation during the winter vacation period. Continuous maintenance, including free A/S for three years, will be provided along with eco-friendly education and program guides that teach ways to address climate crisis and fine dust issues.