Summary: School based initiatives to improve building energy efficiency or develop renewable energy
Aims
To reduce a school's energy footprint by installing energy efficiency measures or generating renewable energy. This approach may be supported by behaviour change initiatives with students around energy efficiency.
About this approach
- What level of difficulty or complexity are you ready for?
- Well established or relish a challenge - with a formal legal entity; some specialist knowledge; may have paid staff; comfortable with challenging new ideas and able to source skills required if not available in house
- What outcomes does this lead to?
- Energy efficiency, Promoting renewable energy
- Behaviour change type:
- Time to set-up:
- Up to 1 year
- What time commitment is needed?
- High - Big commitment from members, some full time staff might be required
- What places is this suited to?
- Any
- Other specific places:
Schools
What are the main benefits?
The approach leads directly to a measurable reduction in Awel Aman Tawe emissions and schools can save money through reduced energy bills. Where renewable energy is generated schools can benefit from payment from the Feed in Tariff (FiT) and in some cases free electricity.
The approach leads directly to a measurable reduction in Awel Aman Tawe emissions and schools can save money through reduced energy bills. Where renewable energy is generated schools can benefit from payment from the Feed in Tariff (FiT) and in some cases free electricity. Energy efficiency measures can have a large impact because of the size of school buildings. School sites also usually have space to accommodate renewables (e.g. Ground Source Heat Pumps, Solar PV panels, biomass boilers). Schools may be able to use some of the savings on energy bills to invest in further renewable energy (solar PV cells) or other environmental schemes within the school (e.g. St Bede's school in Lytham St Anne's). Working together as a school community can bring climate change and energy issues to life for staff and pupils - for example, through real-time displays of how much energy is being produced (or carbon dioxide saved) - and therefore deliver useful curriculum and learning benefits. Visible measures such as solar panels and wind turbines may draw attention to energy issues both within the school community and beyond (though more evidence is needed that this wider demonstration effect happens).
Key issues to consider
Identify the local schools and have a chat with staff there to find out what they are already doing and what activities you may be able to support - you need to identify early on either a school or a local authority interest (ideally both) in looking at these measures
Look at the skills you have in your group and your aims and decide what sort of programme you would like to deliver.
- Identify the local schools and have a chat with staff there to find out what they are already doing and what activities you may be able to support - you need to identify early on either a school or a local authority interest (ideally both) in looking at these measures
- Look at the skills you have in your group and your aims and decide what sort of programme you would like to deliver. Consider the range of support available to you and also the level of time, finance and commitment you are able to offer.
- Develop your marketing materials at an early stage, collect information, case studies and facts and figures that you can present to school authorities to encourage and inspire particiapation
- If you are focussing on one school you may want to bring in external expertise and tackel a range of issues including energy efficiency and renewable energy, You may be able to design a programme of activity with the school or PTA over a number of years while you build capacity. You might want to contact your local energy agency or energy consultant for advice.
- If you have a specifc measure such as PV panels in mind, or are considering developing a larger programme of activities across a number of schools, you should talk to suppliers, installers and energy companies. You may wish to look at bulk buying, leasing schemes, developing an ESCo and setting up funding mechanisms.
- Marketing, Communication and Monitoring and Evaluation will all be important sucess factors for these schemes.
- Depending on the programme you may need to get some training you may need to consider insurance, public liability and having a CRB check if you are planing on spend time in the classroom.
How does it relate to other approaches?
Improving the energy performance of a school may be part of a whole school energy/climate change programme that also includes behaviour change initiatives (School-led behaviour change initiatives). Alternatively, a local community group project may want to partner with a school to install renewables and share financial benefits (Community models to develop solar electric (PV) installations on the roofs of homes and community buildings).
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