Schools help cut energy use (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Schools help cut energy use

10:50am Thursday 10th November 2011 in Education By Helen Morton

CHILDREN and staff at Hampshire schools are among those being praised for using less energy.

Hampshire County Council has exceeded its first-year target to reduce carbon emissions from its buildings, schools, street lights and other operations.

Bosses say the target has been achieved by encouraging county council staff and school pupils to change behaviour, besides the clever use of modern technology.

There are more than 500 schools run by the county council, but they are only one important part of the team effort that has reduced carbon emissions by 3,925 tonnes in 2010-11 – against the objective set in the summer of 2010 of 1,820 tonnes.

It means that the county council is on track to achieve its target of a 20 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2015. Steps taken include new heating controls, replacement of inefficient roofing and cladding on buildings, use of low-energy computer systems and technology and increased levels of flexible working by staff in fewer offices. Managers are aiming for another 3,600 tonnes of carbon savings in 2011-12 by putting in place advanced boiler controls in schools to cut costs by £500,000 per year, and through the next phase of installing 150,000 new street lights which should save 4,000 tonnes of carbon each year from 2015.

There are also plans to install solar panels on county council offices, libraries and education centres.

Schools are also to receive 1,800 smart-meters to increase energy efficiency and the first biomass boiler is to be installed in a Hampshire school, at Weyford, in Bordon.

Hampshire County Council leader Councillor Ken Thornber said: “To deliver and exceed our first year Carbon Reduction Plan target is a tremendous achievement.”

He added that the carbon reduction programme would save taxpayers a lot of money in the long run.