L’Alliance École du Banc Vert Brings its Green Standards into the Classroom with BenQ RP04 Interactive Displays

L’Alliance École du Banc Vert wanted to replace outdated classroom technology with modern digital equipment that could blend harmoniously with its one-of-a-kind and eco-conscious architecture. The new interactive display solutions had to be able to stay in line with their guiding principle of meeting ecological standards. 

After sharing the challenges in a conversation with BenQ’s team of display experts during the Educatech exhibition, the RP04 interactive displays on demo in the booth at the time proved to be the solution the school was looking for. 

56 BenQ Boards were purchased, 21 of which were installed at this school and the rest were sent to other locations that were part of this upgrade program. With proper onboarding in place, the staff’s initial apprehension about working with the new digital technologies disappeared, and everyone was satisfied with how easy the transition went. The eco-friendly design of the BenQ Boards also complemented their commitment to saving energy and protecting health, which made them even more appealing.

Opened in September 2024, L’Alliance École du Banc Vert is not just a new school in the Banc Vert neighbourhood; it’s an architectural innovation that has transformed both the landscape and residents' lives. Functioning as a school, a central kitchen, and a community centre, this unique building is a many-sided hub of city life, bringing social cohesion, harmony, and learning opportunities together. Residents can take part in cooking workshops, while classrooms invite nursery and primary school pupils for an exciting and interactive learning experience. The central kitchen also prepares 600 meals every day, 400 of which are distributed to school canteens in the city.

With a core belief of meeting ecological standards, the school has chosen to transition towards a “zero exposure to endocrine disruptors” future. They commit to an exclusive use of bio-based materials, selected for both environmental sustainability and the well-being of the students. Moreover, timber-clad façades finished with linseed oil paint embody the ambition to achieve more with fewer resources and conserve natural materials. This responsible approach is also evident in the school’s use of solar panels installed on the roof and significant insulation work in the building to save energy.

Instead of juxtaposing the futuristic eco-conscious structure with outdated classroom tools, the school decided to incorporate modern technologies in keeping with the design of the building.

Given how conventional tools had held them back from their sustainability targets, for instance in terms of health or energy consumption, they decided to move towards digital tools that could bring interactive learning to classrooms, offer technologies to protect users’ health, and facilitate and accelerate the teaching experience. 

Even though this idea aligned well with their vision, it was somewhat intimidating to the teachers who were not accustomed to the features these solutions offer. Therefore, the school had to make sure that the rollout went without a hitch, and the onboarding process was as worry-free as possible.

During Educatech when RP04 BenQ Boards were on display, the school visited the BenQ booth to discover BenQ solutions. After a BenQ expert walked them through all the features, they immediately knew that the RP04 interactive displays were what they were looking for. 21 BenQ RP04 interactive displays were installed in the classrooms accordingly.

For a school with an ecological mission, the energy savings came first. BenQ Boards offer power-saving features that monitor and reduce energy consumption without compromising performance. Through BenQ’s Device Management System (DMS), staff can centrally set power schedules, activate a sleep timer for inactive boards, and rely on the ENERGY STAR®-certified Eco mode to cut electricity costs by up to 70%.

ClassroomCare® technologies, including flicker-free, anti-glare eye-care features certified by Eyesafe®, shield users from blue light and eye strain. At the same time, the screen’s non-toxic antimicrobial coating recognised by TÜV Rheinland is 99.9% effective against common bacteria. Moreover, built-in air quality sensors and an air ioniser maintain low CO₂ and pollutant levels, releasing negative ions to keep classroom air clean.

The built-in EZWrite 6 whiteboarding software lets teachers and students write, draw, and annotate on an unlimited canvas, pull up templates and measuring tools, import files, and save sessions as editable IWB files or PDF handouts. InstaShare 2 rounds this out with wireless screen sharing, letting teachers and students cast from their seats, with teachers staying in control of choosing which screens to share or hide, and AI automatically blocking inappropriate content.

BenQ’s team of display experts supported the school from installation through to daily use, running training sessions for teachers and training IT managers to enrol and manage the boards remotely through DMS. It was also important that the boards had an intuitive design, which made that learning curve considerably shorter.

The integration of 21 RP04 interactive displays into L’Alliance École du Banc Vert was quite smooth, just as BenQ experts had anticipated. Teachers are now empowered to Teach Their Way using the boards without feeling apprehensive about them. Students find it easier and more fun to engage with the lessons and their involvement has increased. The RP04 interactive displays have been in perfect alignment with the school’s sustainability vision and have brought a deeper and more interactive classroom experience for everyone, including the IT staff.