Make Effective use of the New Dfe Funding for Energy Efficiency Capital Projects
You can't measure what you don't monitor!
Energy price rises
Are you concerned about the impact that rising energy costs will have on your budget in the coming year?
Energy analytics
Do you have full visibility of the patterns of energy consumption, and do you know when you are using energy inefficiently?
Energy curriculum
Does your school embed an environmental and sustainability focus into the whole curriculum EVERY WEEK?
By installing sensors that monitor your energy consumption in realtime, you will optimise your school's energy and environmental performance, identify potential savings of up to 40% on current energy usage AND inspire pupils and teachers with the vast range of exciting climate solutions being implemented by business and academia every day
Why is it important to have full visibility of energy consumption BEFORE investing in other capital projects like LED lighting or solar?
If you are like most schools, you currently receive monthly energy bill that indicates how much energy has been used, which you pay because you have no choice. But the bill provides NO information on when and where you are using energy, and how much is being wasted. If your school is similar to the ones in our pilot projects, that could be up to 40% of total consumption, or even more …
How much is wasted energy costing your school? Without full visibility of when and where you are using energy, you will NEVER KNOW. So just moving forward with investments in LED lighting, solar or other energy capital improvements won’t reduce existing or future wastage.
The best energy savings possible is consumption that does not take place, and only visibility of consumption will provide that information.
Having data about patterns of consumption will help you make informed decisions about how best to begin your journey to decarbonise your school in the most effective way possible and plan for future capital investments including LED lighting, solar and other capital opportunities.
The Hopes sensors and data insights (powered by Centrica) will give you access to a cloud platform that shows realtime consumption. Our project management will help identify when and where your school is wasting energy and what you can do to make substantial savings by improving efficiency.
Having detailed data of your efficiency profile over several months will also make applications for further funding to decarbonise your school much easier and more compelling.
AND at the same time, your pupils can use the data in science, maths and other lessons, and run hands-on projects to identify ways the school can do its bit towards saving the planet by eliminating wastage!
Key Points of the new funding allocation:
- the funds come with the stipulation that they have to be spent in the current financial year 22/23
- they must be spent on capital projects, prioritising projects that improve your school estate’s energy efficiency
- Note that the money CANNOT be used to pay for current energy bills or other general running costs.
Bromley Pilot Project:
A pilot project with 5 schools in Bromley shows that over 35% of electricity consumption in those schools has occurred out of hours, i.e. overnight, on weekends and during the holidays.
Potential annual savings in energy consumption of over 20% of current bills are projected for 2023, with further savings to follow as the project implementation gathers pace.
Projected Outcomes:
Development of Climate Stewardship by linking sustainability concepts with lessons
The project will take your pupils (and teachers) on an ongoing education journey whereby they can generate ideas and projects to further improve energy efficiency, test them, and use the data platform to analyse the results and impact of those ideas.
The expectation is that pupils will take their learning at school and apply it to energy efficiency and other sustainability ideas in their home environments and communities, thereby engaging their families and showcasing the impact your school is creating towards the development of our future Climate Stewards.
“In recent UK research on the leadership skills required for a sustainable economy, 92% of the business and sustainability leaders agreed that businesses need to do more to prepare people for the transition to a sustainable economy.”
Sustainability Leadership: Linking Theory and Practice – Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership
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