Energy Sparks Successes
agendas. But not enough is being done quickly enough – particularly in secondary schools – to tackle the biggest issues of our time. As ever, much of the problem
comes down to a lack of funding and government vision over the last decade or so. Many school buildings are desperately ineffi cient and outdated (and sometimes even downright dangerous). Staff are often too stretched to implement even basic recycling and energy- saving routines. But it is possible to build a
whole-school culture of responsibility towards the environment, along with a holistic energy strategy. We can’t fi x everything, but on the following pages we have compiled some of the best ideas and resources to support schools – from gardens and green energy to recycling and water effi ciency.
BE ENERGY
EFFICIENT In 2022, the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy set a target for all schools to have a climate action plan in place by 2025. While a few schools have been able to secure funding for new net zero buildings, most must focus on reducing carbon emissions through effi ciency savings and use of renewable energy. School decarbonisation advisor Lynne Moore suggests replacing any boiler installed before 2005 (as it will be highly ineffi cient), and potentially switching to air source or ground source heat pumps that can be used for both heating and cooling. She recommends installing
Damers First School in Dorset cut its electricity consumption by 12% a year in an energy efficiency drive that included holiday switch-offs. Over the 2023 Easter holiday, energy use fell by 43% compared to Easter 2022. Pupils at the three-form entry primary were involved in making sure that equipment was switched off. The money saved is used for items such as toys, PE equipment and school trips. According to teacher Edd Moore: ‘Energy Sparks has supported pupils’ knowledge about reducing energy use – and they are taking what they have learned and implementing it into their own homes.’
Harris Academy Sutton saved
around £20,000 a year by installing an automatic shutdown of ICT equipment in the evenings. Trinity C of E First School in
Frome shaved £1,600 a year from its electricity bill by replacing ageing ICT servers. The £4,200 investment was returned in two and a half years.
Go solar Solar PV panels are increasingly popular. Hundreds of schools are benefiting from community-funded solar arrays, with many schools renting their roofs to avoid upfront costs – and then paying a lower rate per kilowatt hour. With energy prices projected to rise further, schools could make substantial savings over a 25-year contract. The Schools Energy Co-
operative (schools-energy-coop.
co.uk) is a social enterprise that
installs community-funded solar panel systems free of charge and pays all profits to member schools. It has more than 90 schools in its network, including partnerships with local authorities. Other not-for-profit suppliers
include Solar for Schools (
solarforschools.co.uk) and Big Solar Co-op (
bigsolar.coop). Small school sites in London can access grants from the GLA’s London Community Energy Fund (LCEF).
LED lighting and double glazing and stresses the importance of insulating hot water tanks and pipes – and possibly replacing them with point-of-use electric water heating. Insulating lofts, walls and fl oors will also make a massive difference. These are big jobs but they do bring long-term savings. Replacing old lighting with LED could save an
average-sized primary school £4,000 to £6,000 a year and a secondary school as much as £3,000 a month. Currently, schools can bid for funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. But the process is highly competitive, and schools often hire consultants to increase their chances of success. The DfE’s energy effi ciency grant
10 SPRING 2024 FundEd
Off
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
