Information on Loughborough

Schools make the switch to save energy

Posted on 11/12/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Community Services

11 December 2009

Schools make the switch to save energy

Young sleuths from Thringstone Primary School cut their energy use by more than 38 per cent after taking part in an Energy Detective competition.

Pupils identified and turned off equipment such as computers, overhead projectors and interactive whiteboards that were left on unnecessarily at break and lunch times as part of the initiative.

A total of 25 schools across Leicestershire took part in the contest which took place during Big Switch Off (BSO) week from October 12-18.

They took meter readings the week before the competition and then again afterwards to see how much energy they saved.

The results are now in and have revealed Thringstone Primary saved the most energy, which amounted to a saving of around £15.60 for the week – about £811.20 for the year. Members of the school’s Eco Club acted as monitors, checking equipment was switched off during their breaks.

Members of the club planned the competition and made their own recycled trophy which they presented in a whole school assembly on the Friday of the BSO week.

Stonehill High School in Birstall came top of the secondary schools after saving the equivalent of £162.24 a year.

Teacher at Thringstone Primary Sam Widdowson said: "‘The children took the competition incredibly seriously and made a great effort to ensure they were saving energy. I think they have been implementing the rules at home too.

"We are very proud of what they achieved."

Jocelyn Brown, Strategy manager at Stonehill High School, said: "The Big Switch Off has inspired and encouraged us to do more for the environment. We were very pleased with our results."

Chariman of ENABLE (Environmental Action for a Better Leicestershire), Prof Mike Preston, said: "I would like to congratulate all the schools that made savings, some of which were very significant, as part of the Energy Detective competition.

"It just goes to show that we can all do our bit, just by taking a few simple measures, to save energy and money.

"The Big Switch off may have run for a week, but the energy saving techniques it encourages can be used every day."

The winning schools will receive a renewable energy education kit comprising of a miniature wind turbine, solar panel and solar thermal hot water tube.

Primary school winners:

1st – Thringstone Primary – 130 kwh reduction and 38.58% reduction = £15.60 saving for one week and £811.20 for year. This equates to around 0.07tonnes CO2 for the week, or 3.64t over a year

2nd – Packington Primary – 120 kwh reduction and 34.09% reduction = £14.40 saving for one week and 748.80 for year. This equates to around 0.06t CO2 or 3.12t over a year

Secondary:

1st – Stonehill High School – 26kwh reduction and 0.62% reduction = £3.12 and £162.24 for year. This equates to 0.01t or 0.52t over a year

2nd – Castle Donington Community College – 7kwh reduction and 0.21% reduction = 84p and £43.68 for year. This equates to 0.003t or 0.16t over a year

A similar contest is also being run in Rutland, which focuses on energy efficiency and energy saving in schools.

As this year’s Rutland Green Cup, which awards schools for their active involvement in green issues, the Rutland Friends of the Earth group, supported by Rutland County Council, will be shortly awarding the school which achieved the greatest energy saving during the Big Switch Off week and will present it with a renewable energy education kit.

The Big Switch Off is a partnership led by ENABLE and local authorities across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, together with the Rural Community Council, Groundwork Leicester, Leicestershire and Central Networks.

ENDS

Notes *The schools’ energy saving is based on the assumption their average energy price is 12p per kilowatt hour