Energy

Actions that can be taken to reduce energy costs:

• Understanding Energy usage and conducting an Energy Audit/Review to target Energy savings.
• Developing a plan using the Energy Audit/Review to encourage good practices, behaviours and further interventions.
• Implementing and managing the proposed intervention to reduce Energy Consumption.

• Promote Energy Awareness within your Educational setting. Consider establishing an Energy and Sustainability Action Committee and involve staff/pupils, depending on your Educational setting.

Significant savings on Energy bills can be achieved through simple no-cost actions outlined in the following table.

• Access the Energy resources on the Eco Schools NI website for Project and Session Plan inspiration.
• Follow the steps to becoming an Eco School here.
• Eco Schools NI work closely with a number of environmental organisations as well as local councils, book a workshop or visit here.

• Check with the caretaker that the heating times match with the opening hours of the school so that it isn’t being heated when unoccupied.

• Up to 30% of heating costs can be saved by preventing cold air entering the building (Carbon Trust). Make sure all sources of draughts are identified and appropriate draught proofing is fitted. If the room is too warm and the heating is on, adjust the temperature control/ radiator valves rather than opening windows and allowing the heat to escape. Alternatively, open classroom doors onto indoor corridors.

• Poor control of a space can lead to discomfort, so it is important that staff understand know how to adjust the temperature, ventilation and lighting in their spaces so that conditions can be adjusted to achieve the desired comfort levels. Can the heating be controlled in the room? If not report it to the caretaker to investigate.

• Curtains and blinds can help keep rooms comfortable during extremely cold or hot weather periods. Closing them at the end of the day during winter will reduce draughts and help keep heat within. Likewise, closing them in summer can also help reduce heat in rooms from direct sunlight.

• Encourage everyone to adhere to these temperature guidelines and not turn the thermostat up if they’re cold. Encourage them to wear more clothes instead.

• Provide thermometers for each room so you know what the temperature is. Heating costs increase by around 8% for every 1°C  increase (Carbon Trust).

• Bring children into the classroom through internal doors rather than external doors that lead directly into the classroom. Ensure that exterior doors are not left open if the heating is on.

• Do not place heat emitting items such as photocopiers under thermostats as this will create a false reading and the heating will not come on when needed.

• Do not block radiators with furniture such as desks, tables and cupboards etc as this prevents the heat from being distributed effectively and can cause the heating system to operate more than is necessary.

Table showing recommended temperatures for different parts of the school

• Label IT equipment to identify items that everyone can turn off where possible. Working with pupils, identify all IT equipment in all areas of the school. Place a coloured sticker on each item as follows:
  • Green for equipment which should be  switched off when not in use (for example, televisions, computers, laptops, projectors and interactive whiteboards.)
  • Orange for equipment which should be switched off after checking that no-one is using it (for example, the teacher’s computer).
  • Red Do not touch. For equipment which should not be switched off (for example, a freezer during term time or the main server).
• Once the stickers have been placed on all the plugs and switches of IT equipment inform the whole school of your findings and what you have done emphasising what the different coloured stickers/shapes mean and that anything with a red sticker must NOT be turned off. Anything with an orange sticker can be turned off if appropriate but anything with a green sticker can be turned off if no-one is using it. Most people are shocked to discover how much electrical equipment the school owns and how much is being left on consuming energy unnecessarily.
• Purchasing a timer plug for laptop trolleys would ensure they are not left on unnecessarily. The timer can be set to recharge the laptops for the required number of hours at the end of the day so they are ready for use in the morning. Continuous charging wastes energy and money, shortens the life of the laptop batteries and is a potential fire risk
• Allow a computer network manager to switch off all machines remotely after an agreed time in the evening. This will ensure that all computers are switched off.

Lighting accounts for approximately 20 to 25% of a School’s electricity costs therefore reducing the number of lights in use will save a proportion of the cost.

• Common practice in a school is for all of the lights in a classroom/hall to be automatically switched on when entering the room without checking to see if there is sufficient natural light and whether some or all of the lights need to be switched on. Review if there is sufficient daylight to reduce the need for artificial light. This will vary depending on the time of day and orientation of the room. Blinds can also effectively control daylight and glare issues.
• Often with new LED lighting all of the lights are on one switch. If lights are arranged in banks or rows in a room with multiple light switches it’s possible to switch rows of lights on or off independently, only using lights as necessary, reducing energy usage, emissions and saving money.
• “Currently LED upgrades use at least 80% less electricity than an equivalent tungsten halogen source” says The Carbon Trust. Compared to more traditional lighting, LED lights have a dramatically longer lifespan of around 50,000 hours which can reduce maintenance costs significantly. Installing lighting sensors in rooms which are used infrequently can help cut costs significantly.
• Lights above cupboards offer little benefit therefore can usually be left off permanently. Lights are often left on in storage cupboards and should be switched off after use.
• Toilets are problem areas with lights often being left on all day. Switch off lighting when not needed.
• Windows can be obscured by displays and blinds resulting in lights being switched on when natural daylight could be used instead.
• Motion sensors fitted to lighting systems cause the lights to come on when movement is detected. They are effective in cupboards and toilets where there is no natural daylight.
• Upgrade lighting to energy efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LED). The reduction in energy usage and costs are substantial and enable a very short payback period.
• Install Solar Photovoltaic Panels (Solar PV) but only after doing all you can to reduce the electricity consumed in the  school.

• Schools should only use a small amount of electricity overnight for items such as servers, refrigerators and freezers. If other items are left on overnight, or over weekends and holidays, this can amount to as much as 20% of your daytime use. Carrying out an out-of-hours survey will help you to identify these items so you can ensure they are switched off.
• An after school survey of all the rooms in the school would record the items and the number of those items that have been left on that day. Look particularly at lighting, photocopiers, printers, IT equipment, electric heaters, water heaters, overhead projectors, interactive boards, kitchens, exterior lighting and don’t forget the boiler room and other service areas.
• Report your findings to everyone in the school as it will raise awareness of how much equipment the school has, that a lot of equipment is being left on and the potential savings to be made.
• Encourage everyone to switch items off fully at the end of the day rather than leaving them on standby.