by Shane Henson — June 22, 2012—Thanks to continued funding from Lockheed Martin and STEP-UP, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-funded Small Town Energy Program for University Park, Maryland, students and teachers at three public schools in Prince George’s County, Maryland, will continue their crash course in energy management and playing a key role in helping to reduce their buildings’ energy costs through taking part in the Alliance to Save Energy’s Green Schools Program.
The Green Schools program trains students on the use of energy diagnostic tools for conducting school energy audits; provides teacher workshops on energy and energy efficiency; and includes hands-on support from a local project leader and Alliance staff.
The specific energy-saving measures undertaken at the schools—University Park Elementary School, Hyattsville Elementary School and Nicholas Orem Middle School—includes:
- Conducting school walk-throughs to identify energy waste and implementing appropriate energy-saving measures;
- Testing the efficiency of appliances in the schools and identifying “energy vampires” that consume energy even when turned off;
- Flagging wasteful energy behaviors;
- Having students design PowerPoint presentations on energy efficiency; and
- Executing school-wide “energy shutdowns” by turning off appliances before spring and summer breaks.
- Testing the efficiency of appliances in the schools and identifying “energy vampires” that consume energy even when turned off;
So far, students and teachers’ collective efforts has resulted in a nearly 12 percent reduction that saved $3,968 in February and March, says the Alliance to Save Energy.
