Inglewood High School leading the way in power reduction pilot...

Taranaki's Inglewood High School will pilot a New Zealand first in the next year - energy conservation and renewable energy generation aimed at reducing the school's electricity demand from the national grid by 15% in 12 months.

The $100,000 pilot will - if successful - be replicated through the remaining Taranaki secondary schools in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Believed to be the first of its type ever attempted in New Zealand, the Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Generation Pilot Project is funded by Venture Taranaki and the Ministry for the Environment's Sustainable Management Fund, with assistance from Enviroschools, Powerco and EcoInnovation.

Principal Angela Gattung says the school is excited to be involved in the project, the first of its kind in New Zealand. The project has been officially endorsed by the school's Board of Trustees and senior staff.

Two staff members are assisting with the project; Mr Warwick Foy is the Energy Conservation Champion and Mr Michael Fenton is Technical Advisor.

Mr Foy (left) helps out during filming of a TVNZ Close Up segment about the pilot project...

After two weeks of competitions, Jamie Fenton and Chad Oliver were the two wining student entries for a logo and a name for the project. The new name and logo will be used extensively to promote the benefits of energy conservation and renewable energy.

Ms Gattung says the project will involve the school's students all the way.

"Our entire student faculty will take part in a roadshow looking at renewable energy technologies, and will be shown simple ways in which to save as much power as possible, such as making sure lights and appliances are turned off when not in use," Ms Gattung says.

"Older students will get the opportunity to assist with the implementation of alternative energy technologies, such as solar panels and insulating of appliances.

Students of science, geography and social studies will predominantly get the most out of the project, although the entire school will benefit, as will the town when the students share their energy-saving tips with their families and whanau.

At the end of the project in a year's time, the science, geography and social studies faculties will report back on student responses to the interventions, the impact on curriculum delivery, educational outcomes and conservation behaviours."

Using a combination of conservation initiatives, renewable energy generation technologies installation, and the integration of conservation and renewable energy subjects into the classroom curriculum, the project is expected to kickstart a 'multiplier effect' by encouraging tandem energy conservation in students' Inglewood homes.

Mr Michael Lawley (EcoInnovations) is the consultant for the pilot project...

Venture Taranaki chief executive Stuart Trundle says the school and its 392 student families will become the national spotlight in the twin energy challenges facing New Zealand.

"New Zealand lags the developed world in energy conservation and the uptake of renewable energy generation technologies," Mr Trundle says.

"This project aims to support the Government's draft New Zealand Energy Strategy to 2050. The advantage of targeting secondary school students is the potential multiplier effect it could have on the individual student's home conservation behaviour. "

"Whilst that might be difficult to measure, it is accepted that parents often learn through - and change their behaviour as a result of - knowledge taken home by students from the classroom into their home environment."

The pilot will involve:

Assuming the pilot is successful, Venture Taranaki plans to roll out the programme to Taranaki's remaining secondary schools, thereby extending the programme's reach from 400 students to more than 6000, plus families and whanau, Mr Trundle says.

"In addition, there are the intergenerational impacts that would arise as a result of today's students moving into the workforce and taking on positions of responsibility."

MORE RESOURCES...

OUTCOMES	TEACHING PEDAGOGIES ... how did we get student involvement? FINAL REPORT... were we able to educate, conserve & generate? REALTIME DATALOGGING... see the solar and wind generation now!
EDUCATION	USEFUL TIPS FOR HOME... Energy saving tips ENERGY BASICS... what is 'Energy' and what's a watt? HOME / SCHOOL ENERGY AUDITS and energy investigations BUILD A GENERATOR and BATTERY (primary and secondary) LESSONS / ACTIVITIES #1 (secondary; most subject areas included) LESSONS / ACTIVITIES #2 (primary; most subject areas included) Pure Generation RENEWABLE ENERGY powerpoint (New Zeland)
HISTORY	PRESS RELEASE... what is the pilot project about? TEACHING & LEARNING IDEAS... what could we do in classes? PHOTO GALLERY 2007 and 2008 progress and activities

 

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