Doorway 2: Energy & Water

By 2020 the DCSF would like “…all schools to be models of energy efficiency and renewable energy, showcasing wind, solar and bio-fuel sources in their communities, and maximising their use of rainwater and wastewater resources.”

According to a recent report by the Sustainable Development Commission, England’s schools produce 9.4m tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year and 37% of these emissions are created by the heat and power used in school buildings.

The report recommends that, with the right support, schools could halve their carbon footprints by 2020 and there are a number of steps that schools can take to reduce their carbon emissions and save money simultaneously.

Schools’ energy efficiency has come under the spotlight since new legislation came into effect in October 2008 requiring all larger schools to have a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) rating the building’s energy use.

DEC’s are based on school records of gas, electricity and other meter readings and include an A-G energy rating for the building showing whether the occupier is using energy well or badly and the trend over the last three years.

Schools looking to improve their energy rating can introduce a number of measures, and they need not be expensive. The DCSF’s Bursars Guide to Sustainable School Operation states that in many schools energy use can be reduced by as much as 20% with little or no capital investment!
This section looks at some of the steps that schools can take to reduce their carbon footprints and save themselves money.

Renewable energy specialists Mosscliff Ltd look at the advantages that can be gained from tapping into wind power, whilst the Renewable Energy Association (REA), explains how schools can ensure a stable energy future for themselves and offer an important message to the surrounding community by installing renewable energy generating systems.

In This Section:

Renewable Energy Association (REA) - Technology for the Future
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) explains how schools can set an environmentally positive example by installing renewable energy generating equipment, and highlights where schools can turn for funding and support.

Mosscliff Environmental Ltd - Renewable Energy Solutions for Schools
Renewable energy specialists Mosscliff Environmental Ltd explain how schools can become more sustainable by using wind power, one of the fastest growing energy sources in the UK.