Becoming energy efficient brings both short-term and long-term benefits to all types of organisations with proven impact on the bottom-line.
Dr Garry Felgate, Director of Delivery and External Relations at the Carbon Trust
Summary
Based around an Eighteenth Century manor house in Finchley, North London, Woodhouse College is a sixth-form college with around 80 staff and 1000 pupils. The original building was extended in the 1920s and 30s, with further areas added in 1997 and 2000.
Woodhouse College’s annual energy bill is around £50,000, making it one of the largest expenses after staff salaries. In addition, with limited budgets, the college could not afford the annual energy bill increases of 20-30 per cent it was facing. Carol Kirkland, the Director of Academic and Business Operations, had a personal interest in the environment and so called in the Carbon Trust with the dual purpose of reducing bills and improving the college’s environmental performance.
As a first step, the Carbon Trust carried out a free detailed energy survey to see what could be achieved based on low cost solutions.
Energy saving recommendations
The resulting survey produced a range of recommendations for how the college could reduce energy consumption by almost 17 per cent, saving 36.5 tonnes of carbon a year. The advice ranged from installing more energy efficient light bulbs, to developing an energy efficiency awareness campaign for staff and students.
18 months on and many of the recommendations have been implemented. Pipes and valves have been insulated, light bulbs are being replaced with energy efficient types and computers turn off automatically. The college has even installed more light circuits giving greater control over the lighting of different areas, so that better use can be made of natural light. An ongoing energy efficiency awareness programme has also been successfully implemented, which has led to direct change in the way students and staff use energy.
Reducing energy consumption
Woodhouse College is now seeing the results. Its energy consumption is falling month by month, with a six per cent reduction over a year, saving 13 tonnes of carbon. This has been achieved despite an increase in student numbers, which means the college is actually experiencing greater use of its classrooms.
Carol Kirkland was impressed with the service from the Carbon Trust: “I recommend the Carbon Trust survey to all the estate managers I meet. The advice we were given was right in line with what we had asked for, realistic and with a quick payback. And to top it all, it was free.”
Find out more about advice and consultancy support available for schools to help reduce energy costs and cut carbon emissions.