Optimise Energy Usage in Schools & Universities with These 4 Strategies

We all know how important education is, but we are also aware of how tightly stretched budgets are for schools and universities. This makes it imperative that they are able to save money wherever they can, and with energy bills continuing to spike, it seems that this is a logical place to try and cut back.

In this article, the team here at BEM Services take a look at some of the strategies schools and universities can use to try and optimise their energy usage and save money at the same time.

Conduct an energy audit

It is one thing to decide that you need to be more energy efficient, but it is quite another to understand how to achieve this. In order to determine how you can optimise your energy usage in school, you first need to understand how it is being used and where it is being lost. This means conducting a thorough energy audit, which will assess the energy usage within the building and identify ways in which you can improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.

This will look at the main energy-consuming systems within the school or university, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, insulation, appliances, and lighting. The audit will then be able to provide you with some actionable steps and recommend ways to reduce your energy usage and impact on the environment. Once you have this information, you are in a better position to make decisions on the most effective way to optimise your energy usage.

Building conditions

One factor that will always affect your energy usage is the condition of the building itself. As many schools, universities, and colleges tend to have older buildings, they are often less efficient at keeping heat locked in. This means that your heating systems will be working harder to keep the building at an optimal temperature, especially during the colder months. It is therefore important to look at factors such as doors, windows, and insulation to see if there are any areas where improvements can be made in order to prevent any unnecessary heat loss.

Staff and student awareness

A good proportion of energy usage is down to how the staff and students in the building manage it. When they are not paying the bills themselves, they are likely to forget simple things like turning lights off or reducing the temperature in a room, so it can be useful to put guidance and signage in place for everyone to follow.

Developing an energy usage policy can be a great way to educate everyone in the building on the best ways to reduce energy consumption.

Smart technology

Smart technology can play a significant role in optimising energy usage. There are sensors which can track when a room is empty and turn off lights or reduce heating, for example. Smart controls can also be very important in dealing with heating or air conditioning, as it allows this to be managed remotely. As schools and universities tend to be empty for long periods of time, building managers can take control of the heating, ensuring it is not on when the building is not in use, but also allowing them to turn the heat up slightly if temperatures drop to prevent any issues with frozen pipes.

Energy saving in the education sector is not always easy, so it is important that staff keep an eye on the way that energy is being used in order to find the most effective strategies for reducing its consumption. It is then possible to look at changes to the building or technology that can be implemented to help reduce usage wherever it is practical to do so.