Energy Information and Advice
TeachShare provides information and advice which specifically shows how schools can save energy & costs, reduce energy consumption and generating more greener energy.
Below are a list of resources specifically relating to how schools can save energy and costs whilst reducing energy consumption.
The green energy uk guide to saving energy in school: heating
Nearly 40% of the money schools spend on energy is for heating. Thats a lot of money, and although we need heat to keep warm and comfortable, its also important to control heating costs and save energy. This project shows you how
http://www.greenenergy.uk.com/SchoolResources/Project-three-heating.pdf
{NCSL} - Is there any guidance about maximum/minimum temperatures in classrooms?
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Regulation 7 (1) states: 'During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.'
High temperatures: Heat stress and dehydration can be serious problems at temperatures above 35 degrees centigrade so that should be regarded as the maximum reasonable temperature for prolonged periods of time in school classrooms.
http://www.education.gov.uk/popularquestions/schools/healthandsafety/a005628/is-there-any-
{NCSL} - High Classroom Temperatures - Nut Health & Safety Briefing
Hot summers bring regular queries about the maximum temperatures under which teachers and pupils should be expected to work in schools. This briefing sets out the legal position and Union policy on the area. It is aimed at divisions and associations as well as at NUT safety representatives and will help address common queries and support NUT members in schools which suffer particularly badly in times of extreme heat.
http://www.TeachShare.org.uk/ExtFiles/HIGH-CLASSROOM-TEMPERATURES_1.doc
Water Energy Calculator
The Water Energy Calculator will tell you how much water you use in every room, with every device and appliance. It will tell you how much energy and carbon dioxide result from your water use - and how much water, energy, carbon dioxide and money you could be saving every year by making some simple changes.
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Heating-and-hot-water/Saving-money-on-hot-water/Water-
Schools Energy Efficiency Loans
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Salix are pleased to launch a new funding programme specifically for Schools in England.
Some £8 million of loan funding has been made available by DfE through DECC to be committed against energy efficiency projects to be completed in the next financial year.
The Scheme allows maintained and grant maintained schools to apply for an interest free loan to finance up to 100% of the costs of energy saving projects meeting the requirements set out in the eligibility criteria of the application and background notes.
For the new £Scheme£, Salix are able to offer extended compliance criteria of 8 years payback and £200/tCO2 lifetime for certain energy efficient work type projects.
This will enable many eligible schools to use Salix funding to install the best possible energy efficiency technologies in their estates.
The repayment of the loan will be will be a minimum of 4 years and can be flexible up to a maximum of 8 years, dependent on the project payback. The loans must be paid back to Salix by direct debit every March and September over the confirmed period.
http://www.salixfinance.co.uk/schools
TES Energy Resources
Here you can find a list of Energy Resources provided by the TES Teaching Resources website
http://www.tes.co.uk/taxonomySearchResults.aspx?mode=browse¶metrics=46651,48860,48866,
What does a tonne of CO2 look like?
Dave Ames, a science teacher from a High School in the US built a large cube that represents the size of 1 tonne of carbon dioxide. Click on the image link below for a breakdown of what a ton of CO2 equivaltes to.
Click this image for more information on what a ton of CO2 looks like
OK, yes. CO2 (carbon dioxide) is invisible. But it's still interesting to see how much space a tonne of CO2 would take up if it were sitting in front of you.
In this case, we are talking about a metric tonne of CO2. Mr. Ames' cube, built last year with the help of his 9th grade physics students, is8.23m wide by 8.23m high by 8.23m deep.
At standard temperature and pressure, the density of carbon dioxide is around 1.98 kg/m3, about 1.5 times that of air.
Saving Carbon In Schools - A report by the Sustainable Development Commissionlooks intocarbon emissions from schools, where they arise and how to reduce them.
Schools could pay for a new teacher through energy efficiency measures
Schools could save enough money to fund a newly qualified teacher if they install energy efficiency measures, according to the Carbon Trust.
Fifty-two local authorities will pilot new school schemes led by the Carbon Trust in a move to reduce energy bills which are costing the sector 543m a year.
Carbon Trust's Collaborative Low Carbon Schools Service will help more than 400 pilot schools will implement cost-effective energy savings as the basis for helping them save up to 40m in energy bills and 270,000 tonnes of carbon across all their regions' schools.
Simple measures such as switching off lights and installing more efficient heating could help the average secondary school save 500 in energy bills, almost say the trust, equal to the annual salary of a newly qualified teacher outside of London.
http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?src=nl&id=21093
Siemens - Top 10 energy saving investments
This is a list that Siemens have come up with for the top 10 energy saving investments with the estimated pay back periods. Some items are a bit more technical, but you can see lighting appears a few times
| 1. | Monitoring and Targeting Systems | 1-3 months |
| 2. | Low Energy Lamps | 1-12 months |
| 3. | Variable Speed Drives | 3-12 months |
| 4. | High Efficiency Motors | 3-12 months |
| 5. | Building Controls | 3 months - 4 years |
| 6. | Intelligent Lighting Controls | 1-4 years |
| 7. | Increased Factory or Process Automation | 1-4 years |
| 8. | Power Management Solutions | 1-4 years |
| 9. | Supply Voltage Optimisation | 2-5 years |
| 10. | Combined Heat and Power | 2-7 years |
http://www.TeachShare.org.uk/ExtFiles/Top10_energy_saving%20options_0911UK.pdf
{NCSL} - Heat pumps cost and funding
The link below takes you to a page which explains the cost, payback periods, and available funding for heat pumps including:
- Installation and operation costs
- Fuel bill savings
- Maintenance costs
- Payback periods
- Example costs for heat pumps in a detached house
- Funding schemes
http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=25190345
{NCSL} - Energy Saving Trust - Cashback Calculator
The Cashback Calculator will help you find out how much you could earn and save through solar electricity panels, wind turbines, hydroelectricity and micro combined heat and power systems using the Feed in Tariff scheme.
Start by entering the details of your technology and then use the Investment section to see how the cash your installation earns can repay a loan you may take out to cover the upfront costs, and even potentially make you a profit!
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Cashback-Calculator
{NCSL} - Renewable Heat Incentive
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme is the first of its kind in the world. It will provide long term support for renewable heat technologies, from ground-source heat pumps to wood-chip boilers. The scheme will help drive around a seven-fold increase in renewable heat over the coming decade, which will help shift what currently is a fringe option, firmly into the mainstream.
http://www.TeachShare.org.uk/ExtFiles/1387-renewable-heat-incentive.pdf
{NCSL} - Feed-In Tariffs (FITS)
The Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2010, under powers in the Energy Act 2008.
Through the use of FITs DECC hope to encourage deployment of additional small scale (less than 5MW) low carbon electricity generation, particularly by organisations, businesses, communities and individuals who have not traditionally engaged in the electricity market. This will allow many people to invest in small scale low carbon electricity, in return for a guaranteed payment for the electricity they generate and export.
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/renewable_ener/feedin_tariff/feedin_t
{NCSL} - Siemans Public Sector Finance
For the past three years Siemens has been the independently recognised leading provider of finance to the UK public sector.
Currently more than 50% of NHS trusts and local authorities, as well as hundreds of educational establishments and central government departments rely on us to help them acquire the mission critical assets they need to help deliver the very best services to an ever more demanding public.
https://finance.siemens.com/financialservices/uk/markets/Public_sector/Pages/Public_Sector
{NCSL} - The Salix Fund
Salix is an independent social enterprise and a not for profit company. Through a mixture of loans and grants they have engaged with around 500 public sector bodies and to date have funded over 4,000 projects which save energy valued at £85m.
http://www.salixfinance.co.uk/about_us.html
{NCSL} - Npower Free school energy audits
The npower Climate Cops programme helps schools across the UK to become greener and more sustainable and shows young people how they can take a lead in being greener at home and school through interactive and engaging activity events, websites and free teaching resources. It follows the Governments National Framework for Sustainable schools by focusing on the Child, Curriculum, Campus and Community.
http://education.npower.com/web/npower_Climate_Cops/index.htm
{NCSL} - Carbon Trust - Carbon Surveys
The Carbon Trusts' free on-site Carbon Surveys (only available in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) are guaranteed to identify quick and effective ways to reduce energy, typically yielding a 20% cut in a businesss energy costs.
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbon-reduce-costs/products-services/carbon-surveys/page
{NCSL} - A Bursars guide to sustainable school operation
This guide is a short handbook focusing on two of the doorways (energy and water, purchasing and waste) while touching on aspects of the other six. It outlines measures that can be taken to reduce your schools environmental impact and make real cash savings while enhancing the teaching and learning element of sustainable working practices within the school. These measures would typically be managed by bursars within secondary schools, but could be initiated by teachers or other members of staff at all schools.
The guide is intended to provide practical advice on a wide range of measures within the National Framework for sustainable schools. It complements other initiatives such as s3 the Sustainable School Self-evaluation tool and elements of environmental management that are covered in more detail within the Certificate of School Business Management operated by the National College for School Leadership
http://www.TeachShare.org.uk/ExtFiles/Bursar's+Guide.pdf
Tackling Climate Change - Guidance for Secondary Schools
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Schools are ideally placed to take a lead within communities to reduce the carbon emissions that cause climate change. They might develop their science curriculum to incorporate learning about climate change, install a wind turbine on their building, or supply their communities with greener living tips. In all these cases they are increasing awareness of the impact of humans on climate change and encouraging action to reduce that impact.
Most importantly, schools can take a joined up approach. This involves linking work to reduce carbon emissions from the school campus, with education about climate change through the curriculum and with action to raise awareness of climate change issues in the community and in students homes.
This document focuses on how you can tackle climate change in your school. At the start, well be looking at how addressing energy use and carbon emissions can help you deliver against the governments sustainable schools strategy and Every Child Matters. The second half of the document takes you on a journey as you begin to tackle climate change issues at your school, explains what the steps are along the way and provides guidance to help you.
http://www.se-2.co.uk/whatwedo/publications/docs/Tackling%20Climate%20Change%20-%20Guidanc
Guidance for Managing School Facilities - Swimming Pools
The presence of a swimming pool entails certain responsibilities, including that of knowing the operational and specialist plant maintenance requirements.
Responsibility for the management and operation of swimming pools varies from school to school, depending on status and arrangements under Local Management of Schools. There may also be cases where the responsibility is shared with a third party, such as a district council.
However, all those with some responsibility for swimming pools should possess a level of awareness and knowledge which will ensure their continued provision and safe operation. It is with this in mind that this guidance has been prepared.
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/swimming%20pools%20Guide%202%2
The role of education and schools in shaping energy-related consumer behaviour
The Energy Saving Trust conducted an in-depth review to analyse the extent to which education and schools more generally can deliver behaviour change in a) the long and short term, b) the households of children who are taught about energy, and c) the wider community.
The report begins by defining energy-related behaviours and considers the barriers to delivering behaviour change in this area. It goes on to discuss the policy context within which energy-related behaviour change and energy-related education sit. It then reviews the current state of knowledge relating to childrens understanding of, and attitudes to climate change, and then considers the extent to which these issues are currently being taught in schools. It goes on to explore in detail the evidence base relating to the role that education and schools could play in delivering behaviour change.
http://www.TeachShare.org.uk/ExtFiles/EnergyTrust-TheRoleOfEducationAndSchools.pdf
Create - Energy Certification Scheme for Schools
Is your school concerned about rising fuel costs and the impact energy use is having on climate change?
Would you like to participate in a scheme that will help you reduce consumption, contribute to alleviating the harmful effects of global warming and receive a national accreditation backed by the DfES?
The Energy Saving Trust's Energy Certification for Schools scheme will help you manage your energy. The scheme breaks effective management down into a number of smaller tasks, making the process easier and less daunting. The tasks should reflect the normal management structures within your school making participation even easier.
http://www.create.org.uk/create/certification_scheme.asp
Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy - Making a difference
The Ashden Awards has developed this area of the website to encourage primary schools to explore sustainable energy solutions which can both reduce carbon emissions and improve quality of life.
Ashden Awards are for individuals and organisations which have made a difference, by successfully using sustainable energy at a local level. They range from UK schools which have integrated sustainable energy in their teaching and practice, to schemes providing basic services by using renewable energy in remote areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Ashden Awards produces reports, photographs and five-minute films on the achievements of winners, and these really bring to life the problems and - crucially - the solutions found.
http://www.ashdenawards.org/schools
Action Energy - Save Money and the Environment
There are many actions a school can take to save energy on a daily basis. It is important to encourage children to get involved and take part in achieving milestones for the school in terms of saving energy.
Saving energy does not simply have to involve heating, cooling or lighting, it also encompasses many other actions which can have a broader effect on the environment. Initially however schools must focus on energy as a starting point. Essential actions such as switching off computers and all electrical equipment will make a significant difference immediately. However schools can go much further than simply switching things off.
http://www.actonenergy.org.uk/energysavingschool
Carbon Detectives
The Carbon Detectives programme provides support and ideas for actions that your school can take to shrink your Carbon shoe size. It also provides tools to allow you to monitor your progress and report your savings, with thousands of schools participating across Europe our actions can begin to make a big difference.
The programme is supported by the Department for Education and the Department for Energy & Climate Change.
http://www.carbondetectiveseurope.org/Country.aspx?CountryID=10
Seaview Primary - A low carbon development by Angus Council
Angus Council won Carbon Trust Scotland's Low Carbon Building Award for a New Building in 2010 for their development of Seaview Primary School. The development replaced the old school building which was inefficient and expensive to heat. The new school building provides a flexible learning environment which is warm and comfortable and has significantly reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/10/07142301/8
Greener schools: what parents can do
Parents can help reduce the environmental impact of the school day. Actions they can take directly include thinking about how their child gets to school. They may also be able to influence school policy through active involvement they have with the school - like being a parent governor
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/SchoolLife/DG_064441
The Pod school resources
The Pod website contains games, videos, blogs, lesson plans and other resources, all designed to make your school greener
http://www.jointhepod.org/
Generation Green school resources
Generation Green's creating a real buzz about sustainability in schools nationwide. Since 2008, they've been working with thousands of schools to make Britain a greener place.
This Generation Green website provides invaluable resources to help teachers get the green message across and it's completely free
http://www.generationgreen.co.uk/
Carbon Trust school resources
The Carbon Trust have provided resources for schools which will help them integrate sustainability in their school including: A whole school approach & management guide, Saving energy in schools - a multi-stakeholder guide, a Schools fact sheet and a Walk around checklist.
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbon-reduce-costs/public-sector/pages/public-sector-res
Making a start - energy saving in school
Is it possible to deliver an Environmental Studies topic grid that runs on a four year cycle and ensure that energy conservation remains a high priority beyond the term in which this is the focus?
Read the document below to discover how Largue Primary School in rural Aberdeenshire has risen to the challenge of delivering Education for Sustainable Development in a small school. The aim was not an exciting flashy project, but something that would encourage everyone at school to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.
http://www.teachshare.org.uk/ExtFiles/making_a_start_energy_saving_school.pdf
Display Energy Certificates and monitoring school energy consumption
Since October 2008 occupiers of public buildings with floor areas of more than 1000m2 (roughly 10,000ft2), have been required to have a Display Energy Certificate (DEC). DECs were introduced to raise public awareness of energy use by displaying the actual energy use and energy efficiency of the buildings they visit. Failure to display display energy certificates can result in a charge of 500 and a further 1,000 for failing to obtain an Advisory Report.
For further information on display energy certificates, The Department for Education have an information webpage which takes questions such as Where do I find an energy assessor, How much will DECs cost, and What should schools do next.
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/schoolscapital/buildingsanddesign/envi
Example of a school energy policy
An energy policy is a written document stating the way the school will use energy and what targets it hopes to achieve. It should show how the school intends to achieve the targets, how pupils will be involved, what is expected of teaching and support staff and plan for how energy efficiency will continually be improved and carbon emissions reduced in the future.
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames have provided a sample school energy policy.
http://www.teachshare.org.uk/ExtFiles/sample_school_energy_policy.doc
Back to school: energy saving tips
September means new school runs and a whole lot of back-to-school shopping. Here's how to save energy, save money and reduce waste as term gets under way - and throughout the school year.
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Resources/Features/Features-archive/Back-to-school-ene
Resources to download
These resources can be used with a Key Stage 2 class or an eco club, or for a condensed Green Week project. It is divided into six units, with supporting materials, all clearly linked to the Key Stage 2 national curriculum.
The teaching aims of this programme are to increase understanding and awareness of climate change, its impacts in the UK and around the world; to learn about renewable energy in a global context; and to take positive action to reduce carbon footprints.
TES Connect - Save energy, save money
Is your school's ICT system wasting money and harming the environment? Many schools have computers, servers, projectors, interactive whiteboards and printers running for long periods - even when they're not being used. Reducing ICT energy consumption is not only good for your school's energy bill, it also helps the environment by reducing the carbon footprint.
By turning your computing estate green, can you save money on your energy bills? Yes, and the numbers add up, says George Cole
http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6067107
Eco-Schools - Energy Topic
Energy is now a compulsory Eco-Schools topic, and any school applying for their Green Flag Award after the 1 st January 2011 must demonstrate how they have tackled Energy as part of their Eco-Schools project work.
http://www.eco-schools.org.uk/nine-topics/energy.aspx
Display Energy Certificates and monitoring school energy consumption
Since October 2008 occupiers of public buildings with floor areas of more than 1000m2 (roughly 10,000ft2), have been required to have a Display Energy Certificate (DEC).
DECs were introduced to raise public awareness of energy use by displaying the actual energy use and energy efficiency of the buildings they visit. This is based on records of gas, electricity and other meter readings or fuel delivery records in the case of oil or solid fuel. DECs include an A-G energy rating for the building, where A has the lowest CO2 emissions (best) and G the highest CO2 emissions (worst). The certificate is similar to those that are required for fridges and many other new white goods.
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/schoolscapital/buildingsanddesign/envi
National Schools for School Leadership - Sustainable Schools: Energy and Water
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Fact - Englands schools system is responsible for 9.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year and heat and power used in school buildings account for 37 per cent of those emissions (Sustainable Development Commission).
Fact - schools spend around 106m a year on water - a large secondary school can spend as much as 20,000 (Eco-Schools).
Fact - careful water management together with an effective education programme can reduce water use by two-thirds, saving a school of 600 pupils around 5,000 every year (Eco-Schools).
Few schools can be unaware of the need to reduce their energy consumption to tackle climate change and to cut back on water consumption to save the planets resources for future generations. One of the most effective ways to approach this doorway is to conduct a thorough audit of energy and water usage and involve the whole school in working out ways to become more energy efficient and to monitor and reduce future consumption.
http://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/index/leadershiplibrary/leadingschools/sustainable-schoo
Energy Saving Trust - Schools
Schools can make up a significant proportion of the local authority / public sector estate in an authority area and should form a central part in efforts to reduce own estate carbon emissions. Schools are also crucial in shaping the attitudes and behaviour of children and young people towards environmental sustainability. The Carbon Trusts free on-site survey could save schools a significant amount of money.
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/business/Business/Local-Authorities/Non-domestic-emiss
Environment Agency Guidance - Public and Domestic Buildings
This section of the Environment Agency's website contains useful information such as the following:
- What types of schools will local authorities be responsible for within the CRC?
- How will Private Finance Initiative (PFI) or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or Build Design - Finance and Operate (BDFO) schools be affected by the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme?
- How are university colleges and collegiate institutions to be grouped under the CRC?
- Will hospitals, Primary Care Trusts and NHS Trusts be captured by the CRC?
- Will Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects for the NHS be included in the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme?
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/pollution/127895.aspx
Review of Academies participation in the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
In the light of feedback about the operation of the CRC scheme, the Government is considering simplification of the CRC. In doing so, Government will take into account feedback from stakeholders including:
- The effectiveness of the framework for driving energy efficiency in large private and public sector organisations
- The perceived complexity of the CRC scheme and hence the need to reduce the administrative burden
- Optimising the projected emissions savings attributable to the CRC scheme
This is one of a series of discussion papers which aim to stimulate an informal dialogue between Government and participants about the simplification of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/cutting-emissions/crc-efficiency/2449-review-crc-ene
Carbon Reduction Commitment and State Funded Schools
The government has proposed that state-funded schools (including academies) within Great Britain, will participate within the carbon reduction commitment scheme under the umbrella of their local authority. In doing so, it is the carbon footprint of the local authority that will be legally and financially responsible for participation in the carbon reduction commitment scheme, rather than the individual schools.
It is also the local authority that will be positioned within the carbon reduction commitment, rather than the individual schools.
The local authority will be subject to a number of obligations and duties including:
- Responsibility for calculating all local authority missions including state funded schools and academies
- Purchasing allowances to Cover the above permissions
- Monitoring and reporting annual energy consumption and surrendering allowances where appropriate
- Maintaining the evidence pack for auditing
http://www.carbonreductioncommitment.info/crc-and-state-funded-schools
Top 10 Tips for School Energy Saving
The Top 10 Tips for Schools is the fundamental guide for making your school more energy efficient.
Developed in partnership with Arup and LessEn members.
http://www.less-en.org/index.asp?page=EngeryEfficencyandRetrofittingTip-1503
Carbon Trust Online training: Cut Carbon, Cut Costs tool
The Cut Carbon, Cut Costs training tool gives you an introduction to energy saving and helps you create a personalised action plan for your site, estimating the cost and carbon savings you could make in your workplace.
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbon-reduce-costs/products-services/default/pages/onlin
Carbon Trust Expert advice for schools
UK schools could save around 70 million per year by reducing their energy costs. This would also reduce CO2 emissions by up to 300,000 tonnes.
Simple and cheap measures could allow schools of all sizes to use less energy, save money on their energy bills and also reduce their carbon emissions.
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbon-reduce-costs/public-sector/schools/pages/schools.a
Energy and Water Management - A Guide for Schools
This guide will help you save energy and water in your school. It contains practical suggestions and simple ideas that you can easily implement in your school. Major savings can be achieved, for example, through an education programme raising awareness about the importance of conserving water supplies and reducing waste.
http://www.teachshare.org.uk/extfiles/energy_and_water_management_-_a_guide_for_schools.pd
