Case Study 3 - The Hampshire Energy Wise Education Programme

The aim of this project is to move schools and their communities towards becoming more energy conscious and to meet targets for energy savings both at school and at home. The project involves schools from three district councils in Hampshire - Havant and Eastleigh Borough Councils and East Hampshire District Council.

A least two primary and two secondary schools have been selected from each area to pilot the programme - at this stage, it is free to participating schools (funded by the participant council's HECA budget).

The implementation of the project in each school is flexible, with aspects of curriculum work, reduction of energy use of the school buildings and encouragement of energy saving at homes.

The objectives for each school are:

• 5 to 10% reduction in annual energy use through no and low cost energy efficiency measures;
• Carry out an energy survey, produce an energy policy and develop an action plan comprising both energy and curriculum activities;
• Nominate an energy co-ordinator (preferably the head or a governor) to be trained in energy management;
• Establish monitoring and targeting systems with support from Hampshire County Council Energy manager;
• Deliver an energy education project in line with the National Curriculum involving both school and home energy saving;
• Consider participation in the Eco-Schools Award, SchoolEnergy (if funds are required for installing energy efficiency measures) and Powersavers.

CREATE are carrying out much of the work with schools. This involves providing resources, holding training days for teachers and supporting each school to develop and implement its action plan. A newsletter is published to spread ideas and good practice through the group of schools.

One of the interesting features of this project is its flexibility - schools are encouraged to develop their energy action plan in ways that fit in with all the other things going on in the school. For instance, the curriculum coverage in the participating schools is broad, and covers issues in science (where energy studies are part of the curriculum), geography, mathematics and even media studies.

The project is still in the prototype stage - the extent to which the objectives are achieved will be monitored during its first year to ascertain its strengths and weaknesses. If necessary the format will be modified before the project is offered to more schools.

Taken from "Greening Britain's Schools". Downloadable from www.e4s.org.uk