Abstract:This research provides some snapshots into the ways that staff at both primary and
secondary schools addressed sustainable energy, often in the context of wider
community issues. Of the range of environmental issues affecting society today,
dealing with energy use and energy sources can have the most immediate impact on
institutions, such as schools, and their local communities.
Energy Matters is an energy education programme developed and run by the Centre
for Sustainable Energy, in London and across England. The programme is unique, in
that it provides education materials with training and ongoing support for teachers
through local Energy Educators who deliver the programme. The Energy Matters
Resources cover Home Energy, Sustainable Energy and School Energy. These
Resources respond to criteria in the National Curriculum, in Science and Geography,
and link to other areas of the Curriculum, including Education for Sustainable
Development, Literacy, Numeracy, PSHE and Citizenship.
This research aimed to evaluate the effect, on energy efficiency activity, of Energy
Matters on the schools and homes of participating pupils. The research covered both
behavioural changes, to reduce energy consumption, and installation of energy
saving measures. Interviews were held with a sample of parents of pupils who had
worked with Energy Matters, with a range of staff at some of the schools who had
used the programme and with small groups of pupils at the same schools.
This research was completed in March 2003.
The findings from the research show clearly that there is a considerable impact in
relation to energy saving in both schools and the homes of pupils where Energy
Matters Resources have been used.
• Three quarters of parents had adopted some behavioural changes to save energy
as a result of their children’s involvement in Energy Matters. The level of
behavioural change is comparable with that achieved by professional energy
advice services, such as Energy Efficiency Advice Centres. These parents also
rated their children and Energy Matters as almost twice as influential on their
behaviour as other sources of information on energy saving.
• Nearly all the pupils involved in this research said that they had done a number of
different things to save energy, both at home and at school, and that they would
be able to keep on doing these.
• Staff in most of the participating schools reported a number of actions taken by
pupils and staff to reduce energy consumption as a result of work they had done
with pupils on Energy Matters.
• Most of the schools involved in this research undertook energy saving investment.
Some of this was as a direct result of staff involvement in Energy Matters.
Involvement in Energy Matters also encouraged other staff to ensure that energy
saving was a factor in deciding on future maintenance and refurbishment
programmes in their schools.
Energy Matters helps schools to build on their home–school links through an activity
which helps educate parents as well as the pupils.
Publisher:Mountain Economic Consulting and Associates Inc.
Abstract:This is an abstract only.
A pilot study was undertaken in British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador to
determine whether provision of a real-time feedback device is sufficient to provide
residential customers with the information needed to reduce their electricity consumption.
The pilot was intended to establish whether use of such a device can help customers save
money and be an aid in promoting a “conservation friendly” culture. In this report, we
have determined a quantitative level of energy savings at the household level that can be
linked to the provision of a real-time feedback monitoring device in the home.
In the spring and summer of 2005, participants in the pilot began using real-time
monitors. The monitor provided instantaneous feedback on a household’s electricity
consumption. In comparison to previous pilots and demonstration projects regarding
direct feedback provided by real-time monitors, the sample was followed for a relatively
long period of time. Pilot participants and control customers are followed over a 3.5 year
period. The experimental design consisted of a stratified random sample, spread across a
wide geography, diversity of weather regions, a wide variation in heating, cooling, water
heating and appliance configurations, and a large variety of household income and
demographic characteristics.