Energy management for schools

Energy management for schools

We have been working with the Department of Education and Skills for a number of years on a range of energy efficiency initiatives for schools. Our Energy in Education programme provides:

• training courses for schools
• resources for schools - factsheets, videos and case studies
• technical support for contractors and boards of management
• guidance documents

Training courses for schools

We provide energy management training tailored specifically for schools. Both our offerings below are suitable for teachers, principals, Green-Schools co-ordinators and members of the Board of Management.

Our first offering is an introductory, 20 minute module in our online Energy Academy called 'Saving Energy in Schools'. This introduces you to the main energy consumers in schools, energy management principles, tips and advice for saving energy in schools.

Our second, more advanced, offering is our Energy in Education training course. Learn how to read and really understand your energy bill and energy use within your school. Progress then to develop and implement your own energy saving plan for the School.

What's involved?

• Attend two half day workshops*. We will work our way through a five step energy management process using guides and workbooks
• We will provide access to resources, online tools and expert advice
• We give you the opportunity to network with other schools to share knowledge and experience
• We will arrange an energy advisor to undertake an energy assessment of your school at no cost (subject to availability and meeting eligibility criteria)

Note* The workshops may be delivered completely online or in a blended format. Courses will be run in early 2022.

Monitoring and Reporting (M&R)

The School Sector Climate Action Mandate 2023 sets an overall school sector target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% in 2030 and improve energy efficiency in the overall school sector to 50% by 2030.

As part of this, schools are required to report annually on their energy usage through the M&R system. We make it possible for anyone to access energy data for all public bodies and schools through our online data portal(opens in a new tab).

As well as helping to track the school's energy data annually, the online system provides a scorecard that presents a powerful snapshot of the school's progress to date and online access to the school's annual electricity and natural gas consumption data.

Investment opportunities for schools

Energy efficiency measures undertaken on schools are unique, primarily due to the occupancy hours and nature of use. Typically, 60-70% of energy consumption in a school is expended on heating demand, with 30-40% on electrical demand (lighting and services). We recommend the energy efficiency measures below for schools.

1. Insulate the building - including cavity wall insulation, dry lining, external insulation, attic insulation, roof insulation, and air-tightness
2. Implement building fabric measures -  including doors and windows
3. Upgrade mechanical systems -  including boiler replacement, zoning of heating systems, heating controls within each classroom, pipe insulation, boiler controls and water conservation
4. Install a Building Management System (BMS)
5. Upgrade your electrics - primarily lighting system upgrades (classrooms to T5 or LED, common areas to LED)

Schools and their designers and contractors should note that all works undertaken in schools must be compliant with the relevant Department of Education Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs).

Grants for schools

Here at SEAI, we offer two programmes that provide financial support for schools considering an energy efficiency upgrade.

SEAI Communities Grant

Schools and Community Organisations can avail of up to 50% grant funding through our Community grant scheme.

This scheme requires the grant application to be made by a diverse group of bodies within a community - including residential, private sector, public sector and not-for-profit/community organisations. As a result, partnership is essential for a successful application. You should seek partnership with your energy supplier, local energy agency, or an experienced community coordinator.

The grant scheme opens in November each year and applications must be made by end January the following year. Projects must be completed and fully paid for by October each year. It is unlikely that a school would be the lead applicant so schools should seek experienced coordinators and become part of their application.

National Energy Efficiency Upgrade Pilot for Schools

Since 2017 SEAI have worked with the Department of Education and Skills to select a number of schools to take part in a national energy efficiency upgrade pilot scheme. We completed medium to deep retrofit measures which resulted in average energy cost reductions of 36%.

This pilot scheme aims to demonstrate the best practice for energy efficiency investments in schools.

*There is no application system for this pilot. The project partners select schools which meet the objectives of the pilot. It is worth noting that previous participation in the Energy in Education training, and compliance with the Monitoring and Reporting, was a prerequisite for school selection.