Schools

 


UK schools could save around £70 million per year by reducing their energy costs. This would also reduce their CO2 emissions by up to 300,000 tonnes.

Simple and cheap measures could allow lots of schools to use less energy, save money on their energy bills and also reduce their carbon emissions.

What to do now


A whole school approach - management guide Download 'A whole school approach - management guide'- this guide advises how to get essential buy-in from key stakeholders and gives techniques and ideas for successful carbon reduction. 

Now make these simple improvements to the areas with the biggest carbon saving potential in your sector.


 Heating / hot water: Set your heating system to reach optimum temperature when people are arriving and to begin cooling down as they leave.

 Lighting: A great way to save money on lighting is to put a notice next to every light switch that encourages people to switch lights off after use. This will not only save money, but also promote environmental awareness.

 Catering: Only switch on kitchen equipment when it's required and ask staff to switch it off immediately after use. Advice for making your refrigeration more efficient

Next steps


Step 1 Carry out an energy walk around to see where you can save energy across all existing systems.

Download walkround checklist
 
Step 2 The biggest opportunities for saving in this sector are in the following technologies. Work through each section to improve energy efficiency on your site.
Heating / hot water
 Lighting
Refrigeration
 Office equipment
 Step 3 Involve staff and pupils. Find out how.

Download the Schools sector overview for more information on your sector.
 
 
 

Publications

 
 
 
 
Schools sector overview
This overview covers the main energy saving opportunities for schools and offers low and no-cost measures to reduce costs and release funds without compromising teaching conditions.

 
 
 

Financial support for energy saving products



Loans for state schools and Further Education colleges
Loans for private schools

Further help from the Carbon Trust


Apply for a free carbon survey now

Register for our energy reduction webinars

Local authorities: Run your own energy saving workshops

Key links

Department for children, schools and families

The Sustainable Schools area of TeacherNet is designed to support schools on their journey to sustainability - learn more.