Sustainability Handbook

พัฒนา Sustainability

Table of Contents Context

Learn about our unique context as a British international school in the Kingdom of Thailand

Foreword

Hear from our Head of School - Chris Sammons

Our Sustainability Journey

Some major milestones in our journey toward sustainability

Patana’s Sustainability Stats

How we measure our progress toward sustainability

Ongoing Projects

Key achievements and developments

Student Community Engagement

“We are active stewards for the environment and our communities”

Alumni Impact

A Patana education is inspiring a life-long commitment to sustainability and environmental action

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Context Bangkok Patana School Bangkok Patana School is a British international school based in the Kingdom of Thailand. As such we are governed by Thai law and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand. The environmental aspect of Thailand’s Environmental Social and Governance regulations focuses on reducing the country’s carbon footprint and promoting sustainable practices. The Energy Conservation Promotion Act B.E. 2535 (1992) sets the foundation for energy-saving initiatives, encouraging companies (including International Schools) to adopt renewable energy sources and implement energy-saving technologies.

More recently, the National Strategy on Climate Change 2018-2037 outlines the government’s long-term plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with international agreements such as the Paris Agreement. The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) also plays a crucial role by regulating environmental impact assessments (EIA) that businesses must comply with before initiating certain projects, such as new builds.

The Thai government encourages companies to follow the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of their corporate responsibility strategies.

At a school level we are active members of The Alliance for Sustainable Schools (TASS).

We are signatories to the TASS Charter and we utilise their five pillars to drive our goalsetting; Sustainable School Food, Sustainable School Transport, Sustainable School Uniforms, Sustainable School Buildings and Education for Sustainability.

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Foreword Chris Sammons Head of School From the summer bungalow in 1957 to LaSalle campus we occupy today, environment has been important to the school community in its operations and the curriculum. As time has passed, the majority of world scientists agree that heat-trapping gases are driving global warming. The challenge for all nations is how to algin collective community action which reduces and reverses this trend.

Throughout history, humanity has risen to meet different challenges of our own making. Scientific discovery continues to move us from debate to action through good questioning skills, critical thinking and reflection. From tackling diseases to protecting our natural world, remarkable things can be achieved in short spaces of time when people begin pulling together. Across the globe, individuals, communities, and organizations are stepping up to protect our planet. Schools, businesses, and governments are making conscious choices— reducing waste, embracing cleaner energy, sharing knowledge and rethinking the way we live and work. While the journey is long and difficult to make at times, the collective action we see today is contributing to the change we need to make as global citizens.

Sustainability is more than a responsibility at Bangkok Patana, it is an opportunity: trialing electric buses to reduce pollutants, expanding vegetarian choices to reduce methane, or weaving environmental education into the curriculum. Our students are not just living through the change to our environment, they are also learning about it how to lead it with independence, empathy, creativity, and critical thinking at the heart of their actions.

This publication is a celebration of just a few or our community’s most recent actions both big and small. Together, we are contributing to a more sustainable future; one choice, one action, and one inspired learner at a time.

Published February 2025

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Our Sustainability Journey 2010 First Student Environmental Committee was established.

2015 First Bangkok Patana “Waste Less Week” takes place to raise awareness in the community.

2015 Removal of single-use water bottles and plastic packaging from our snack bars, and installation of water stations.

2016 Construction of the fully-off-grid Outdoor Classroom, a working urban ecosystem for student learning.

2017 Patana participates in the “2041 Campaign”, including sending two community members to Antarctica to join Robert Swann on his expedition.

2018 Solar Array installation begins 2019 Retrofitting of all Air Conditioning units to include pre-cooled fresh air filters to ensure clean air in our indoor spaces.

2024 Purchase of the first two EV school buses to run regular shuttles to the BTS and MRT 2024 Bangkok Patana joins The Alliance for Sustainable Schools and becomes a signatory of their Charter.

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Guiding Statements Sustainable

836 community members use the school bus or the BTS Shuttles each week. Reducing emmisions by 42.28 Tonnes of CO2 annually and alleviating traffic congestion.

There are at least 26 plantbased menu items available each week in our canteens.

Patana’s Solar Array has 1.2 mega watts of energy generation potential, 9 rooftops and 2170 individual panels.

1486 tonnes of CO2 is saved per annum. This is the equivalent of planting over 3250 trees!

800+ 2nd hand uniforms are donated annually.

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Statistics

160 individual printers replaced by 57 large, energy efficient departmental machines, set to default to double sided printing.

10 Administrative forms have been digitised, reducing paper by 93 - 100% and saving approximately 21 trees per month.

1254 Student-hours of learning logged at our fully off-grid Outdoor Classroom annually.

50kg+ of e-Waste and Batteries recycled annually.

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Ongoing Projects Sustainable School Food

Green Stall Awards to encourage sustainable practices by visiting vendors.

Increased variety of vegetarian options in school snack bars and dining halls.

Reduction in single use packaging

Sustainable School Transport

No idling campaigns in our carparks to reduce AQI. Growing menu of shuttle bus options to encourage public transport use.

Examination of our carbon footprint associated with school based air travel.

Sustainable School Uniforms

2nd Hand uniform store in operation in partnership with the PTG Annual giving programme for 2nd hand uniforms including the removal of logos and other distinguishing features.

Sustainable School Buildings

WELL accreditation for new builds.

Installation of TVs around campus to encourage digital advertising of events and campaigns.

Installation of bug hotels to encourage biodiversity.

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Education for Sustainability Primary Green Tigers

The Primary Green Tigers is a weekly extra-curricular activity, which involves our young learners in Key Stage 2 engaging in a range of practical activities including; gardening, recycling, awareness raising and upcycling.

United Wardrobe Project

United Wardrobe Project is a student-led initiative designed to reduce the impact of “fast fashion”. This group run a thrift shop and collect, clean and redistribute, lightly used 2nd hand clothing to those in need.

They also engage in education programmes to teach Primary students about the impact of fast fashion. They collaborate with other chapters at local and regional International Schools.

Amino Insecto

Amino Insecto is a student-led organisation that promotes the benefits of insect consumption for a sustainable future. Their mission is to educate and inspire others about the environmental, nutritional, and economic advantages of incorporating insects into their diets. They host fine dining events featuring insect-based dishes, which challenge perceptions of insects as food.

They also organise educational seminars with experts in the field, reaching students, teachers, and parents.

Student Environmental Committee

The Student Environmental Committee works to raise awareness about sustainability around campus and in the broader community through a range of initiatives.

They run an eco-store selling a range of items to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle and all funds raised go toward a long term partnership with Pang Hua village in Northern Thailand. The students have partnered with the village to install solar power to over 70 dwellings across the last 6 years as well as hosting an annual visit to donate warm winter clothing and other items to support the education of children in the village.

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Education for Sustainability Patana Marine Conservation Society

Precious Plastics

Recycled Glass

Our Land

Future of Good Life

The Patana Marine Conservation Society participate in regular beach and reef clean-ups, both on land and whilst diving/snorkelling. The group also help fund and install artificial reefs to reestablish marine eco-systems within the Gulf of Thailand. The Tiger Tails Marine Conservation ECA is for younger students in Y5 - 8 to learn more abour marine ecosystems and learn to SCUBA dive.

Precious Plastics collect used bottle tops and then transport them to a local centre, for upcycling into a range of useful items, such as furniture for schools in need. Did you know the medals and trophies we present at many of our sporting events are now made from upcycled bottle tops!

Recycled Glass as the name suggests, collect used glass bottles and upcycle them into attractive vases and one-of-akind ornaments for around the home.

Check out these fantastic upcycled glass Winners Cups presented at SEASAC Golf this year.

Our Land focuses on fund raising to support forest conservation projects throughout Thailand. They focus on restoring habits that support flora and fauna that are native to Thailand.

Future of Good Life focus on the development of technology to support low carbon rice in rural Thailand.

Working directly with local farmers to acheive more sustinable farming methods.

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Alumni Impact Sri Hollema (Grad18) - Inventor of Mat Zero a solar powered mat and charging station used in refugee camps during cold weather. Based in the UK.

Charlotte Adam (Grad13) - Agriculturalist and PhD Student working to reduce livestock emissions by developing alternative feed. Based in Australia.

Psi Scott (Grad14) - Film maker and conservationist, working to raise awareness and clean up oceans in Thailand.

Florence Lacrosse (Grad17) Marine conservationist working for Coral Guardian. Based in Europe Alex Rendall (Grad08) - TV/Film Star and Conservationist, founder of the Environmental Education Centre Thailand and a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador.

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www.patana.ac.th Tel: +66 (2) 2785 2200