Energy Saving Tips for K-12 Schools
Save on electric bills in areas like lighting, heating and cooling, and equipment use.
Lights
Quality classroom lighting provides uniform illumination with balanced brightness, minimal glare, and controlled daylight. With today's energy-efficient lighting technologies and proper lighting design, you can achieve these optimal conditions at a lower cost. Schools can reduce energy use by 30% or more with the following energy-efficient approaches.
- Turn off lights when rooms are unoccupied and use occupancy sensors in classrooms, common areas, bathrooms, etc. to keep lights on only when needed.
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Replace incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR® compact fluorescent bulbs or ENERGY STAR LED bulbs.
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Reduce the use of overhead lighting where possible and use task lighting instead.
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Replace T12 linear fluorescent fixtures with High-Performance T8s (HPT8s).
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Replace mercury vapor or metal halide lights in gyms with HPT8 or T5 high-output linear fluorescents.
- Use LED exit signs instead of incandescent or compact fluorescent exit signs.
- Replace exterior metal halide or high pressure sodium lights with LEDs.
- Use windows or skylights for daylight, with ways to control excessive light and/or glare. A study of 21,000 students in three states determined that students in rooms with the most diffuse and glare-free daylight performed as much as 26% better on standardized tests. (Source: Daylighting in Schools: Improving Student Performance and Health at a Price Schools Can Afford. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.)
Heating & Cooling
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Make sure doors and windows have tight seals. Keep them closed when running your air conditioning system.
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Turn off fans when the building is unoccupied.
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Install ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostats and locking covers to prevent tampering.
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Limit after-school activity locations to as few heating/cooling zones as possible and minimize system use in the rest of the building.
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Check equipment regularly (burners, coils, air filters, ducts, etc.) for proper operation and maintenance needs.
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Use ENERGY STAR qualified roofing material with high reflectance.
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When replacing heating or cooling systems, choose ENERGY STAR qualified equipment.
Equipment
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Turn off printers, copiers, coffee makers, etc., at the end of the day, and turn off desk lamps when not in use.
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Activate "sleep" mode on computers and monitors.