A Lesson Plan for Energy Efficient Schools

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A Lesson Plan for Energy Efficient Schools

• Karen Anderson, Program Manager
• Alliance to Save Energy

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The Need

• American public and private schools spend 6
  billion/year on energy
• Energy costs tend to be largest line item in
  school budget after salaries
• By reducing energy use, our schools can save 1.5
  billion by 2010
• would buy 40 million new text books or 30,000 new
  teachers

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The Need

• 80 of air pollution comes from energy
  usestudents grasp the connection between energy
  and the environment
• Energy use in schools K -12 is responsible for 15
  mmt of carbon released into the air per annum
• If schools saved 1.5 billion per year, carbon
  output would decrease 3 mmt

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Barriers to Efficiency

• Priorities energy is not a core mission
• School administrators are not aware of potential
  from energy conservation
• Energy use (and savings) tend to be invisible
• Lack of expertise in Energy Management
• Difficult to find money and time to address
  efficiency issues in schools

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What Can Schools Do?

• Sound the WAKE UP call! Take advantage of Energy
  Smart Schools awareness materials and Energy Star
  Labeling
• Evaluate school energy consumptionfeedback to
  the schools
• Commit to behavioral and operational changes in
  energy use
• Seek funding for efficiency retrofits

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A Comprehensive Approach Benefits Both Sides
EFFICIENCY Retrofit Change operations and
management routines Improve energy use habits
EDUCATION Engage students in real-world learning
Teach staff to use energy efficiently
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What is Green Schools?

• Green Schools is an innovative program that
  combines
• classroom learning and hands-on activities
• behavior changes, building retrofits, and changes
  in maintenance and operations
• money returned to schools that save energy

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• Why change the ways schools function?
• Invisible broom pushers
• Everyone a learner
• Kids assume responsibility for learning and
  doing
• Synergistic effects of collaboration

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Tie Energy Issues to Schools Core Mission
EDUCATION

• Involve instructional and facilities staff in
  energy education
• Provide hands-on learning opportunities
• Invest students in improving their school, home,
  and social communities

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Service Learning and Project-Based Learning

• Service learning taking what students know and
  sharing it in the community
• Examples Energy efficiency audit of community
  buildings (e.g., a church)
• Project-based learning
• Examples School newsletter
• School-wide energy conference

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