The SUSSED™ PROGRAMME – further information

Why get SUSSED?

UK schools are estimated to produce 10.5 million tonnes of CO2.

• 26% of this is from direct emissions (from heating systems mainly).
• 22% from electricity
• 14% from the private use of cars for commuting to schools.

The “UK Schools Carbon Footprint Scoping Study” from the Sustainable Development Commission, March 2006

Government guidance suggests that energy savings of 10-20% are attainable through whole-school projects. Simple NO COST, behaviour changes, like turning off lights when rooms are not used can save up to 10%, as long as all school members get into energy-saving habits!

The SUSSED™ Programme is designed to support you to 'green your school' and addresses the issues with a combination of behavioural change and professional energy and technical support.

Schools that get SUSSED actively involve their students in choices and actions for energy reduction in their school - reducing their fuel and water bills and their direct and indirect carbon emissions. Students thereby learn how their actions contribute to reducing Climate Change.

The financial savings made will allow the school to purchase additional energy saving and other equipment, which will save further energy – a “virtuous circle”.

Assembly

The assembly is used to introduce the programme to the school and to motivate students and staff. It will help ensure that as many people as possible from the school community are aware of what the school is doing.

Energy (and water) week

The activities are designed to consolidate and extend the awareness, motivation, involvement and action of all members of the school. They involve the students in real-life education and in learning about the effects of their own actions.

A significant proportion of energy and water savings can be made through a school’s actions. Many schools are saving up to 10% of their energy, by the simple, everyday, no-cost energy-saving habits of students and staff.

Audits

Audits are important so the school (and SUSSED) know what the current situation is.

Professional audit

A professional energy auditor will visit the school to carry out a complete audit of the equipment and existing energy and water use. We advise that the caretaker and another key member of staff accompanies them on the audit. The school is free to decide whether they want to address their energy use or energy AND water. We also ask for the school to have copies of their last year's energy and water bills and the time scale to suit them.

Self audit

This comprehensive audit is for the school itself to carry out – so everybody is aware of problems there might be and what can be done about them. The audit also includes tools to help the school assess the potential for installing renewable energy equipment – things like solar panels and wind turbines.

Management plan

The next stage is to do a plan of action for the school. Some of the identified actions in the audit will not cost anything at all – things like turning things off, some will be low cost and others will probably be quite expensive.

Lesson plans and activity sheets

Designed for the teachers to use with the students and also for the whole school. There are also lots of resources from other organisations.

Home energy pack

This pack, for the students to take home, contains information on support an grants for householders wishing to address their energy use. The pack also contains free low energy light bulbs for the household.

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The cost

The initial cost of registration onto the scheme is just £95 (plus VAT). After that the programme will be funded from any savings made.

A baseline of existing energy use is agreed with the school who will then contribute 15% of any savings to the SUSSED Programme. No savings – no payment! We ask the school to ring fence another 5% of savings to be invested in low cost measures within the school.

We also provide information and support on raising funds from elsewhere for the measures identified.