A few some ideas and suggestions for schools working on the energy theme that I picked up this year. I think this is important to ensure accurate data collection.
Attitudes survey – at school and at home – e.g. do you always turn the TV off properly? Temperature survey in classrooms through the different months of the year, different days of the week – check the difference when you leave the doors and windows open Electricity monitors are devices that enables a school to monitor the amount of electricity they are using – displayed as cost per hour, CO2 emissions and KWh. A sensor is fitted to the ESB box which transmits the data wireless to the display unit in the classroom. Instant changes can be seen by turning off energy guzzlers! Monitors vary in price from €50. Repak carbon footprint need the following data: water, energy and waste data for a whole year
ESB bills Most schools compare bills in euro – this does not work as the price per unit is continually changing Even if they compare the KWh on the bills - every 2 nd bill tends to be estimated bills are not an accurate representation The only way to accurately measure the electricity units used is to read the ESB meter on a regular basis This has to be read for at least a year – as electricity use varies with the seasons! When schools are comparing electricity (and water) units between different years it is important that they work out how many days they were in school in the time periods being compared – e.g., if they are comparing march ‘08 with march ’09 – the Easter holidays falls differently every year so the children will be at school for a different number of days each March So the units used should be divided by the number of days at school School Extension If the school has been extended during the energy theme divide the units used per day by area Make sure they note any changes that might influence the readings e.g. boiler breaking - had to use electric heaters Oil usage This can be very confusing – schools record how many litres have been delivered but you do not know when this is used so it is difficult to compare usage accurately There are monitors that can be attached to oil tanks that can read the level in the tank However, as each tank is a different capacity the school would have to self calibrate the tank e.g put a strip of tape along the height of the tank and make the capacity along the side – their oil provider would tell them the size of the tank and could help them mark this out Gas Tanks % marked on side of tanks – not accurate measurement of usage
100% grant for schools with an attic and less than 300mm insulation or no cavity insulation can apply for work in 2009 for cavity and roof insulation from the Department of Education. Lights Energy efficient Fluorescent strip lights are available in a number of different sizes (diameter and length) and efficacies (lighting output / energy in).School lamps are usually T12 or T8. Conversion kits are available to install a T5 bulb in a T8 fitting as there is no energy efficient bulb in the usual T8 or T12 size. The other alternative is to change the whole unit. If they are doing any work to school they could speak to their electrician about installing motion sensor s?
Stokane NS 11 units per day – 1 unit to run the fridge on low energy day (30 pupils 2 teacher school) Colaiste Iascaigh – Black OUT Day No lights, heat (extra jumper), kettle, appliances! Travel to school in a sustainable way
Also lights , stand by.....
Run an energy saving competition between classrooms – where each room is spot checked daily for energy wasting e.g. lights on unnecessarily, appliances on standby, door open etc.
Workshops What is energy – newtons laws What do we use it for at home and at school – what do we get this energy from? How can we reduce usage? Renewable forms?
Excellent resources from lessons plans, posters, worksheets, ..... Even fridge magnets! Some of the ones we identified that would be particularly good for the school to study include: Other ones that I have run with the schools this year include The children enjoy these SEI ran a workshop on our teacher training course They provide 2 types of workshops for free to schools – a junior one where a guzzler puppet visits the school and one for the older ones from 4 th class where they discuss climate change, play the giant energy floor game and carry out some of the experiments I mentioned above
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