The school beat Coca Cola South Pacific’s sustainable farming initiative and Enviro Manufacturing’s enviro valve, designed to save cold water from the hot tap. The college saves $30,000 and more than six million litres of water a year, and uses 93 per cent less water compared to 2004.

Head of sustainable practice Bill Thomas says the school uses tank water for toilets, harvests stormwater from wetlands, and has a harvest garden, solar energy system and an urban forest.

Education Minister Martin Dixon (pictured) went to the school to congratulate students last week and presented them with a tree to plant in their urban forest.