By KHT Staff. Images via KH City Govt.
KAOHSIUNG — Lantian Elementary School (藍田國小), a new public school near Kaohsiung University in Nanzih District (楠梓), is scheduled to open for classes Aug. 31.
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) attended an opening preview and launch ceremony at the school on Aug. 3.
The city said the school was built to meet growing demand as the area around Kaohsiung University develops and more semiconductor-related investment moves into northern Kaohsiung.
The campus covers nearly 3 hectares and cost NT$1.07 billion to build.
The city said Lantian is Taiwan’s first elementary school built entirely with a steel structure. Construction was completed in less than two years.
The school is planned for 48 classes and currently has 25. Its first-grade enrollment is already full, according to the city.
The campus also includes a nonprofit preschool with space for 40 children and a public childcare facility expected to serve 60 children.
The Education Bureau said the school uses building-integrated solar panels with a total capacity of 1,671 kW, the highest among elementary schools in Taiwan.
The city said the system can generate enough electricity for teaching needs and, together with energy storage, can maintain classroom power for up to eight hours.
Officials said the school was also designed to reduce heat, improve safety and lower environmental impact. The city said construction methods and materials reduced carbon emissions by nearly 2,000 tonnes, while about 200 existing trees were preserved.
Safety features include rounded wall corners and round columns in public areas to reduce injury risks for students.
The city said roads, signals and pedestrian crossings within 1 km of the school have also been improved to make school travel safer.
