W:
www.ie-today.co.uk
KEEP IT GREEN | NEWS | 33
Survey shows improved environmental awareness
According to a recent Leafield Environmental survey, the education sector is becoming more environmentally aware and realising the impact that its operations have on the wider community. The survey reveals that plastic recycling is the big focus for academies, secondary schools, colleges and universities this term. Of the respondents, half
said that they are keen to step up recycling rates for plastic botles and 41 per cent plan to install dedicated food waste recycling units. Others are also keen to start collecting bateries, toner kits and electrical items. Forty per cent believe that introducing outdoor recycling would also have a positive effect on behaviour and encourage students to recycle
more. In a bid to increase environmental awareness, 50 per cent of respondents
include special arts projects and interactive recycling activities during lessons. Leafield managing director Phil Maddox says: “The volume of recycling bins to HE and
FE premises has increased by 25 per cent in the past year, reflecting the importance of efficient waste management systems. The sector is realising the significant environmental benefits as well as cost savings to be made by cuting the volume of waste going to landfill. Installing bins to
segregate recycling more efficiently can drive up recycling rates by more than 50 per cent in just a few months.”
Solar-powered competition launches
OUNDLE GETS ON BOARD WITH ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Oundle School has installed smart metering and monitoring technology in all of its boarding houses in order to provide real- time energy-use data and an accurate analysis of energy consumption, costs and carbon. Using t-mac Technologies software, the school has been able to identify where opportunities for energy reduction lie, and is set to continue its energy-saving efforts by installing t-mac’s latest software, Smart.Dash, the UK’s first energy-saving dashboard with a dedicated Twiter feed. The new responsive web application technology will change the management of buildings through interactive social media-based software. Smart. Dash is designed to enhance energy-saving opportunities and encourage active energy awareness from the energy manager but also staff, pupils and even former pupils. With Smart.Dash, Oundle
ABOVE: Sheep grazing at a Lightsource solar farm in Devon
The RSPB has teamed up with Lightsource Renewable Energy to launch a national search for fledging designers to create a new-look bird-nesting or bat-roosting box to be installed on solar farms around the UK. School pupils are being encouraged to take part in this unique competition in order to raise awareness of the threat to native species of plants and animals posed by a dramatic loss of natural habitat in the UK. The overall winner will receive a free solar energy installation for their school worth over £10,000 and with the capability to reduce
the school’s electricity bill significantly. Twelve shortlisted finalists will also have the opportunity to place their boxes on solar farms across the country. The competition is part of the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home campaign, aimed at tackling the crisis facing the UK’s threatened wildlife. The charity is asking people to provide a place for wildlife in their own gardens and outside spaces – whether that be puting up a nestbox or creating a pond. For further details visit
www.lightsource-re.co.uk or
www.rspb.
org.uk/homes
can analyse and quantify its electricity consumption and understand the amount that each boarding house is costing in both energy expense and carbon output and rectify any problems immediately. These energy and cost savings are all demonstrated via a dashboard which can be viewed on laptops, tablets, mobile phones and other screen displays. t-mac also provides an interactive tool for pro- active maintenance and management by site staff.
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