Energy in Schools

Schools can play a crucial role in helping the UK to cut carbon emission levels, whilst at the same time, raising awareness of its importance to children, staff and families.

According to Solar for Schools, schools have the power to prevent 625,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere!

A typical high school in Suffolk spends £70,000  a year on energy bills, but a school could save 10% of this by implementing no cost/low cost measures. This could mean a saving of £7,000 per year!

Advice and support for your school

  • Solar for Schools – this social investment business specialise in working with schools to cut carbon and cost savings with solar energy. It provides a suite of services from project viability analysis all the way through to asset management. It will even help assess the funding opportunities available to the school.
  • Energy Saving Trust – the Trust have a range of free teaching resources available as part of its Energy Savings Schools Challenge. The resources are aimed at students aged 11-15.
  • Let’s Go Zero – this is a national campaign bringing together UK schools who want to be zero carbon and supporting them to take action.
  • World Wildlife Fund –  developed introductory climate change resources for schools, aimed at students aged 7-11.
  • The Way To Go Suffolk – provides support on travel plans and how they promote active, safe and sustainable travel.

Download the Environmental Toolkit for Schools, created by Groundwork East on behalf of the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership, for ideas to reduce your school carbon footprint along with curriculum linked activities, and further support to help you along the journey of improving your school grounds, encouraging behaviour change, and contributing to growing action against climate change.

Looking for inspiration?

Take a look at these Suffolk case studies of schools that have taken exciting steps to generate cheaper, cleaner and green energy.

Is your school already making great progress in reducing energy consumption and switching to low carbon alternatives? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch at creatinggreenestcounty@suffolk.gov.uk