Testing energy saving resources
Edwalton Primary School tested out the full range of SCoRE (Schools Collaboration on Resource Efficiency) resources - which are available to download - during the autumn term 2011, using them to identify a combined estimated annual saving of a staggering £3250 – roughly 20 percent of the school’s energy bill.
Pupils were very much involved in active labelling of light switches, with the Eco Club identifying 50 percent of light switches which are now left turned off, unless it is very dark. Pupils also helped to identify electricity savings by labelling IT equipment such as interactive whiteboards and computers that should be turned off when not needed, rather than just left on standby.
The most significant savings came from using information from automatic meter reading to prompt changes to boiler control settings, which should reduce gas consumption by 30 percent.
More savings planned
Following on from using the Invest to Save Project Identification Questionnaire, the school is now getting quotes for low energy LED lighting, a boiler load optimiser and insulation for its boiler house and heating pipes. It is also looking to invest in a pupil-friendly energy monitoring system which will keep the pupils engaged and be used as a teaching resource.
As Hugh McCahon, a teacher at the school, says, "Saving energy saves us money that can be better spent on pupils as well as helping the environment. By giving pupils the chance to make a difference at school, it shows them that they can change the world for the better, a little at a time."
