Built on the site of the former military barracks in the town located some 20 km north-west of Ljubljana, the Kamnitnik kindergarten spans across 10,000 square metres, half of which is the exterior area.

The facility, for which the municipality received EUR 1.3 million from the Eco Fund, has two floors and features a large kitchen with a capacity of 1,300 meals a day. It will supply all kindergartens in the municipality.

The building will be heated by a heat pump, and as Škofja Loka Mayor Tine Radinja put it at today's ceremony, it is one of the least energy-consuming buildings in Slovenia and is almost optimally constructed.

Radinja said that the low-energy construction with the extensive use of wood has resulted in a higher cost, but he believes that "this will more than pay back in the long run in terms of our attitude to the environment".

The kindergarten has 15 units, a majority of which will open on Monday, and three will be gradually opened by February. It will be able to accommodate 330 children, which will be attended to by around 60 employees.

The facility solves the long-lasting issue of shortage of kindergarten spots for local children, as an additional 54 spots will be available once children from another kindergarten, which is being closed, are relocated there.

It will also serve as the seat of the public kindergarten operator Vrtec Škofja Loka.