The Estepona City Council has invested €60,000 in the installation of shaded areas in the municipality's public schools, repurposing sails from the promenade. This measure is part of the Climate Control Plan, which includes over a hundred air conditioning units.
The Estepona City Council has launched a new initiative to improve thermal comfort in public educational centres in the municipality. With an investment of €60,000, shaded areas have been installed in the schoolyards, using sails that were previously placed on the promenade. The initiative aims to alleviate the high temperatures that students and teachers experience during the hot months.
The Councillor for Education, María Aguilar, explained that the installed structures measure 6 by 12 metres and have been placed by the municipal Operational Brigades. "We have reused materials that we already had, which means economic savings and a commitment to sustainability," she noted. The repurposing of the promenade sails also avoids the purchase of new materials.
A climate control plan in progress
This initiative is not the only one the City Council has undertaken to improve thermal conditions in classrooms. The Climate Control Plan, initiated last summer, has involved the installation of around fifty air conditioning and heating units in educational centres. In the coming weeks, it will be completed with the installation of additional units in classrooms that still lack this service.
Once finished, the total number of units will exceed one hundred, with a municipal investment of €130,000, alongside a contribution of €100,000 from the Junta de Andalucía. "We want all public centres to have the appropriate conditions for educational activities," Aguilar emphasised.
For the residents of Estepona, this measure provides direct relief. Parents will no longer have to worry about extreme heat in the playgrounds during recess, and teachers will be able to teach in air-conditioned classrooms. The City Council expects all facilities to be operational before the start of the next school year.
Reuse of materials and sustainability
The decision to reuse the sails from the promenade has not only been economical but also environmental. By giving these elements a second life, the City Council avoids generating waste and reduces the carbon footprint associated with the manufacture of new structures. "It is an example of how we can manage municipal resources more efficiently," the councillor stated.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the City Council to improve educational infrastructure. In recent years, improvement works have been carried out in several schools, such as roof renovations and the installation of energy efficiency systems. The goal is for the centres to be healthier and more comfortable spaces for the educational community.
The installation of shaded areas has already been completed in most public schools, and the City Council expects them to be fully operational in the coming days. Parents and teachers have positively evaluated the measure, which they consider necessary given the increasingly frequent heatwaves.
With this investment, Estepona is at the forefront of adapting its educational centres to climate change, offering practical and sustainable solutions. The next time the children go out to recess, they will be able to play under the shade of the repurposed sails from the promenade, a small gesture that makes a difference in their daily lives.
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