Formulating the report:
The information collected from the energy survey should be documented into a report that is made available to staff, students and all concerned with implementing energy saving measures around the school’s campus.
Pictorial representations of data should be used to easily identify trends in the data being showcased. Pie charts and graphs will make it easy for students to understand the pattern of energy use and deviation from past performance. Making charts helps to portray energy spending over a certain period and identifies seasonal trends for fuel consumption.
Gather student input:
Students can be involved in the energy audit by asking them to incorporate the findings in group projects of their own. The information from the energy audit can be presented around the school in class rooms, the school newsletter and staff notice boards. Findings of the report should be presented to school management.
Making the information public:
Make the information available to the public outside the school by encouraging local newspapers to run articles. Students can help develop pages for the schools website, highlighting areas of major energy expenditure and giving suggestions on to how to cut back on energy spend. Projects can also cover topics such as steps to reduce green house gas emissions and the carbon footprint of the school. This will help promote the school’s brand as one that is concerned about saving energy.
Involving the student:
Having the student population actively involved in the energy conservation program is crucial for achieving energy savings in the school. A high level of awareness amongst the students will allow students to take proactive measures to ensure that the school cuts down energy consumption. This could be anything from students being actively vigilant, remembering to turn off unwanted lights and heaters when they leave class rooms; to coming up with innovative suggestions that allow the school to cut down on its energy consumption and save on utility bills. Incentive systems such as competitions can be devised to coax students into actively participating in these programs and to come up with innovative solutions.
