Schools across Bath have made great reductions in energy use and carbon emissions last year, totalling 965 tonnes of CO2 and savings of £140,000.
Widcombe Juniors did spectacularly well, and reduced carbon emissions by 29% in a single year.
This is much more than the average of 11% and second best in the whole of Bath and North East Somerset.
The School was supported by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Schools Carbon Reduction Programme, which since 2012 has been helping schools cut energy use and carbon emissions and involve pupils in making their school more sustainable.
The carbon reduction programme is funded by allocations from the Dedicated Schools Grant, which funds all schools in the area.
The Council helped by training school staff to access and use detailed energy data from ‘smart meters’ installed in schools.
Secondly all schools were offered a free detailed energy survey and energy saving action plans.
Following this, Widcombe Juniors Eco team began daily energy surveys of the school and Hazel Parks, ex Business Manager and the Eco team identified ways to reduce energy wasted in holiday periods when no one was in school.
At break and lunchtimes, pupils from the Eco Team turned off unnecessary lights and alerted adults to projectors still on and windows open when the heating was on.
They noticed that classroom thermostats were being turned up and then windows opened, which resulted in wasted heat.
Kate Wilkins, Head Teacher at Widcombe Juniors, said: “By communicating their daily findings, staff and children were challenged to think about their energy habits and to be mindful of energy waste. Now the whole school community turns off lights and projectors when not in use.”
The biggest impact on this reduction in energy use was the installation of a new heating control system which ensured different parts of the school were heated to the right temperature and only when occupied.
Next the school is installing more efficient lighting which will bring even more savings next year.
Cllr Dine Romero (Lib-Dem, Southdown), Cabinet Member for Early Years, Children & Youth, is really proud of the savings that all schools have achieved.
Cllr Romero said: “This shows how a combination of education, change of practise and investment in more efficient equipment really can help to bring dramatic reductions in carbon emissions.
“Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Carbon Reduction Programme provides information, advice, training and financial support to schools to help them reduce energy and educate pupils in energy savings.
“Energy surveys show that the average primary school could save 20% of their energy use such as through improvements to heating controls, turning off ICT equipment, installing insulation and upgrading lighting.”
Local energy group, Energy Efficient Widcombe also got involved and helped by securing a training workshop for the school delivered by local University students, as part of the ‘Bath University Challenge in the community’ in 2013.
This training is taking place again this year, teaching a specific year group (60 children) about why it is important to save energy, in a fun and interactive way.
