QC museum to have 'climate change room'

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said yesterday they will dedicate one of the rooms in their soon-to-be built Quezon City Museum to help educate children on the effects of Climate Change.

Belmonte, one of the panelists in the Children & Climate Change – 2nd Asian Children’s Museum Conference, said the museum would be one of the Quezon City government’s contributions to helping preserve Mother Nature.

Apart from the fact that they are planning to dedicate a “climate change room” wherein they would educate visitors, mostly children, about the effects of global warming, she said the entire museum would remind its visitors of the campaign to take care of the environment.

“So when the children come we could already explain to them the building itself, the principle of green buildings and environment-friendly buildings,” Belmonte said.

She added that “there would be a gallery space specifically to teach environment issues. The wider aim of the museum is to bring to the consciousness of the children all the issues related to urbanism such as environment degradation and environment management.”

She said through these innovations they are undertaking, the city government hopes to make education fun for students and other visitors.

They are targeting to be the first Leadership in Energy and Environment Design or LEED-accredited building in Quezon City. “If you are able to comply (with all the requirements) you would get a certificate that you are a really green building,” she said.

The two-story museum, which would stand on an estimated 1,000-square meter property within the Quezon City Memorial Circle, would be designed without air conditioning units.

“We would use natural ventilation,” said the self-confessed environmentalist vice mayor.

There would also cover the roof of the museum with grass to serve as a park or play area for the children. The groundbreaking for the project was done last December. They hope to complete the museum by October this year.