Energy Saving News
US schools save money with energy-efficiency measures
A school district in Minnesota has reduced its energy use by approximately 12 per cent in just under a year after placing a renewed focus on energy efficiency.
Mounds View Public Schools cut $397,209 (£248,561) off its utility bills between July 2008 and June 2009 by working in partnership with the state's Schools for Energy Efficiency (SEE) programme, the Shoreview Press reports.
Changes implemented across the district included working with a local contractor to upgrade school heating, cooling and lighting systems with energy-saving technology.
According to the newspaper, the schools also encouraged "behavioural changes" that contributed to the overall success of the campaign, as both staff and students were encouraged to become more conscious of their power use.
Further changes are planned for the current academic year, with more equipment upgrades in the pipeline and new initiatives to educate pupils on the importance of saving energy due to take place.
According to SEE, nearly one-third of the energy consumed in educational buildings is not used efficiently, while the average annual energy cost for schools equates to $250 per student.
Wednesday 14th October 2009
