British Gas to Lead Energy Efficiency Revolution in Schools

LEICESTER, England, May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, announced British Gas' role in a GBP12 million energy efficiency initiative to help schools and pupils to become energy aware.

The move will help meet the Government's goal to reduce carbon emissions in schools and help local authorities comply with the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC).

All publicly funded schools will be invited to apply for a free energy display meter giving an accurate real-time reading of how much electricity a school building is using. Schools will be able to use this data to inform decisions about how to make energy savings.

Schools account for around 2 percent of UK green house gas emissions, with 9.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted annually by schools in England(1). The energy display meters, which are provided and installed by British Gas, are expected to help reduce consumption by 10-15 percent, around 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, and it is estimated that it will save an average 900-pupil secondary school more than 3,000 a year on fuel bills alone(2).

Partnerships for Schools will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of the project, working in partnership with British Gas, as the selected private sector partner. This contract comes on the back off British Gas being awarded the Buying Solutions framework to provide Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) services across electricity, gas, water and aM&T/ sub-metering solutions to the public sector market.

The initiative will also see school children becoming experts in energy efficiency, as pupils will be able to see in real-time on large 'dashboard' displays how their behaviour, such as switching on lights, computers and electrical equipment, affects the school's electricity use. The project is being supported by the British Gas Generation Green educational programme which has created a range of learning resources, including lessons plans, which are specifically designed to be used alongside the 'dashboard' displays.

Speaking at Pimlico Academy, one of the first schools to sign up to the initiative, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Rt Hon Ed Balls MP said:

"School children of today have a real desire to become the environmental champions of the future - and we need to harness this interest. This GBP12 million investment will enable schools to lead the way on an energy revolution, helping staff to reduce energy consumption, and helping children to better understand the importance of their behaviour in tackling environmental issues."

Kanat Emiroglu, Managing Director of British Gas Business said:

"British Gas is committed to supporting the public sector in meeting government targets to reduce carbon emissions and we are proud to be at the forefront of the biggest revolution in energy efficiency since the switch to natural gas in the home in the 1970s.

British Gas is the largest provider of advanced and smart meters to the public and private sector. Smart and advanced metering, combined with our Energy Services and our multi-site expertise, are already showing how our customers can be put back in control of their energy usage, helping them use less energy, cut carbon emissions, comply with government legislation and save money."

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships of Schools, said:

"The use of display meters is a great way to engage young people's interest in the environment and energy efficiency. In Building Schools for the Future schools where display meters are already in operation, there has been a real enthusiasm for using the information generated in lessons and changes to behaviour both in schools and at home. We're looking forward to making this opportunity available to more schools across the country."

The display meters project was announced today in conjunction with an awareness campaign designed to help schools reduce their overall energy costs. It will be supported by a broad coalition of public, private and third sector partners, all of which have a shared interest in reducing energy usage.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has a long term goal for schools to be sustainable by 2020. The Zero Carbon Task Force was set up in 2008 to advise on how best to achieve this, and two key recommendations made by the Task Force in March 2009 were the use of energy display meters and a comprehensive awareness campaign to help change energy efficiency behaviour in schools.

All primary and secondary state schools in England will be eligible to apply for a free sub-meter. An information pack will be available to all schools, and schools will be given instructions for how the meter should be used, and guidance on how it can support teaching and learning. For more information, schools can visit: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/energydisplaymeter

1 Source: The Sustainable Development Commission

2 Source: Carbon Trust

About British Gas Business

British Gas Business offer a range of products and services tailored to the business market, including fixed price energy contracts, boiler and central heating services, an online business insurance comparison service, and a connections and metering service for new energy supplies, conversions and upgrades.

For more information on cheap electricity and the benefits of using a smart electricity meter to monitor energy consumption, customers can visit http://www.britishgas.co.uk/business.

SOURCE British Gas Business