Teaching our children how to conserve energy at school will have a lasting impact into the future.

It is a great way to show kids how the small action we carry out as individuals and group add up to big things.  So luet you help your school take the power back!

There are a number of key things you can do which are quick and easy:

• Install energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or LED lights in the class rooms, toilets and staff rooms
• Turn lights off when rooms are not being used
• Turn appliances off at walls over night or when not in use. This may include printers, computers and other electronic equipment
• Wrap hot water cylinders
• Create a link between your school alarm and switchboards so when the alarm is switched on certain power fuses and the water is automatically switched off

Divide the class into groups and assign each group a room of the school to conduct a survey of the number of appliances/machines powered by electricity, eg, the school office, the caretaker's room, technology rooms, computer suites, staffroom, classrooms, hall and gymnasium.

• What is the total number of electrical appliances at school?
• Make a wall chart master list of all appliances and what they are used for (work we do with them). Rate appliances on a 1-5 scale - 1 being absolutely essential and 5 is not really needed.
• What other appliances/machines are there at school which are not powered by electricity? eg, a petrol driven motor mower, a gas heater.
• What is the ratio of electrical powered appliances to non electrical powered appliances?
• On a map of the school indicate the areas that use the most appliances (eg, computer suites) and make a list of ways to reduce energy waste (e.g. do the lights or computers have to be left on all day or can they be switched off between classes and on weekends?).

Energy Efficiency Investigations: The following investigations can be assigned to separate groups or used in series by the whole class.

Insulation

Inspect the classrooms for insulation. The benefits of insulation to the classrooms heating requirement can’t be under estimated. Also look at draught strips, drapes, double glazing.

Lighting

Investigate your lighting situation. Points to investigate should include: energy efficient bulbs, lamp shades, fluorescent compact bulbs, life of bulbs, types of lighting most suitable for different areas, appropriate wattage of bulbs, dimmer switches, solar cell lighting for outside. Another option for lighting during the day is reflective solatubes which use natural light and no power www.hometech.co.nz.

Heating

A lot of schools burn coal in their boilers for heating which produce a lot of green house gas emissions, or use inefficient fixed oil heaters. Cleaner more efficient options include converting your coal boiler to wood pellets like Rotorua Girls High School has done www.eeca.govt.nz/renewable-energy/bioenergy/school-heating.html or install heat pumps.

Solar heating

Think about installing solar hot water heating for hot water and if your school heats its swimming pool you may be able to use solar heating here too – check out www.heliocol.co.nz for more details.

Create you own energy

Genesis has developed the Schoolgen programme to bring solar energy to life for children across New Zealand. They offer support to schools that are interested in setting up photo voltaic (solar panels) and provide information and networks for schools involved www.schoolgen.co.nz.

Inglewood High School provides a great example of a school doing great work with energy efficiency. They have reduced energy use by 17% and have even installed their own micro wind turbine! See them in action at www.sustainability.govt.nz/news/2008/inglewood-high-school-powers-through-its-energy-saving