Visit: misco.co.uk/education Tel: 0800 035 0799 Email: education@misco.co.uk W: edtechnology.co.uk | T: @Educ_Technology


CONTRIBUTORS:


JOHN BAILEY: Environmental manager at the University of London


ROBERT MEAKIN: Senior EMEA marketing manager at Sony


“Technology has opened up endless opportunities for the education sector to become more sustainable” Amy Edwards


power from fossil fuels which is unsustainable – the alternatives are there to explore and technology is helping us do so.


How can we use technology to go green?


✥ JB: There is really obvious technology that is available to us. LED lighting is now of a good enough standard to be used in all areas of the estate, modern boilers, building management systems and metering software means that we now have much greater control over what the estate uses and gives us good opportunities to make savings and efficiencies. On top of that the advances in communications can do so much for sustainability, good ideas can spread faster than ever before and we can link with people from all over the world but equally we can communicate on a local level much more effectively.


✥ RM: The green technology market is rapidly evolving, particularly in the education sector, where decision makers are under pressure to not only keep within strict budgets, but also lead by example with energy- efficiency. Technologies like video conferencing have long been solutions of choice for those looking to minimise business travel, and – in turn – their carbon footprint. Technology can only go so far in


driving a green future, as ultimately this requires buy-in and commitment from the heart of the organisation, as well as a behaviour shift towards more environmentally sound practices. Yet utilising the most eco-friendly products is one important step in the right direction that can have a positive impact on reducing environmental impact.


✥ JH: There are many examples – technology can help us ensure that all the lights are switched off to save energy if no one is in the classroom, changing the light bulbs to new LED lighting will reduce pollution, implementing solar energy systems on the school rooftop will create green energy


Does more need to be done to educate children on environmental issues? What would you suggest?


✥ JB: I think more needs to be done in educating everyone on environmental issues – especially some of the political leaders we currently have. The problem we have with educating people in the environmental challenges is that it can appear so daunting – we need the people that are doing the teaching to demonstrate how change and progress will lead to a beter, more efficient world in the future. It is important to understand the consequences of doing nothing but it is equally, if not more, important to show what can be done to address those issues.


✥ JH: For kids growing up today it is very easy to get inundated in the digital world. Although some atention is given to the environmental issues in the classroom, there could be more atention given to simply 'enjoying' nature and spending more time outside to learn about our ecosystem in an


experiential way.


✥ AE: I'd like to see environmental education as part of the national curriculum. Educating the current generation is the only long-term solution to creating a sustainable global environment. It's a fantastic opportunity for cross-curricular project work – science, maths, technology – energy and


the environment covers so many of the core subjects. Schools should be investing in a creative and integrated curriculum, using their own energy efficiency projects and actual data in the classroom. As a co-operative, up to half of our profits will be invested into educational resources to help schools promote energy awareness and that's something we're really excited about. ET


JAMES HSU: Director EMEA operations Vivitek Corporation


AMY EDWARDS: Energy director at Energy for Education (E4E)


– even starting off with very simple things in how we run our schools can have a significant impact.


✥ AE: Technology provides the chance to engage and connect with what is happening. It gives us the real-time information we need and explains it in a way everyone can understand. Whether it’s lighting timer switches, climate control sensors, remotely controlled ICT systems, video conferencing or solar panels – the data we collect thanks to technology can help every school plan its energy needs more effectively and efficiently.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68