Awards 2011 - Learning
A school programme in Austria empowers student teams to detect wasted energy and to challenge their peers and adults to change bad habits.
Across Austria, a network of 350 schools has earned the “ÖKOLOG” certification. These public schools at the primary, secondary and agricultural training levels are hothouses for environmental education. Curriculum must adhere to guidelines that include waste, water, energy and environmental protection themes, teachers must be appropriately trained, and the school buildings themselves must meet energy-efficiency and “green” criteria. Annual ÖKOLOG re-certifications are required.
To be sure, becoming part of the ÖKOLOG network is no small feat for a public school.
In 2009, just before retiring after 40 years in the classroom, a dedicated science teacher at an ÖKOLOG school in the region of Carinthia named Josef Groeber came up with a challenge. The concept: name a team of 6-8 “Energy Detective” students in each participating school. Stimulate them to work together to identify tangible ways that the school, their peers and their families could use energy more wisely, and save precious resources. Empower the team of “Energy Detectives” to inform others about energy savings, and put practical solutions in place for smarter energy use.
Following an initial climate change and climate protection training course conducted on a volunteer basis by teachers, the teams investigate at their own pace and approach. The project is not linked to any classroom assignment, so all of the activity must take place outside of lesson time.
“There is great interest on the part of the students to be selected as an Energy Detective,” Helga Spitzer, Headmistress of ARGE ÖKOLOG Carinthia said. Since 2005, Spitzer has co-ordinated the ÖKOLOG network in the region of Carinthia. “Each year we receive twice the number of applications for the spaces we have available.”
Students must have proven their academic strengths, have parental consent, and convince the jury of their reasons for wanting to become an Energy Detective. “It’s a lot of work, actually, for both the students and the teachers that volunteer to help them. They often meet during lunch, before school, and after school. They certainly prove their passion.” Each participating student also promises to inform at least three individuals outside the school about their project and their findings – for example, people in their family or in their neighbourhood.
Spitzer said, “We offer this programme at all school levels, but we find that the youngest students are the best Energy Detectives. They become devoted to the project. One evaluation showed that knowledge in the community about the programme itself was at nearly 100 percent, which demonstrates that these 8 and 9 year olds were getting out there, really talking about the programme.”
Once the team is formed at a school, the students determine the frequency of their energy controls. All members wear a badge that identifies them as one of their school’s Energy Detectives. Typically there are checklists for regular tests, such as making sure washroom taps are functioning properly and not leaking, that are performed several times a week. Other controls are daily, such as turning off light switches in unused classrooms, or monitoring radiator settings.
“In one school, the students discovered in their routine checks that an entrance door to the school was continuously getting stuck open, even in cold weather,” Spitzer said. The students took this concern to school administrators and the door was replaced.
Spitzer affirms that it is the small steps that will go a long way in helping to educate and change habits. “This programme is not only about raising awareness, it’s about encouraging people to change their habits.”
Some of the tips that students come up with might seem somewhat commonplace (unplug electrical devices when not in use), but many are thought-provoking (to air out a room, instead of tilting open windows for long periods of time, open windows completely for a short blast of fresh air).
One mother said the programme created some stress at home, because her son was constantly reminding her to cook with a cover on the stove pot, and was forever turning off lamps all over the house. “That’s exactly what we are trying to achieve,” Spitzer said. “We want today’s youth to act responsibly. Instilling habits in the next generation is key to helping to protect our environment for the future.”
Contact:
Helga Spitzer
Headmistress
ARGE OEKOLOG Carinthia
Dr.-Arthur-Lemisch Platz 1
Fuenfwundenweg 21
A-9800 Spittal/Drau
Austria
E-mail:
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Tel: +43 6506191181
Web: http://www.energieundschule.at
Project partners:
KELAG ( Carinthian electricity supplier)
Klagenfurt, Austria- Carinthia
kelag.at
Pedagogical Institution Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt, Austria- Carinthia
www.ph-kaernten.ac.at
Dynamic community in the Netherlands is inspired by an EU project to establish links to other communities and put together a manual on how to achieve carbon neutrality
A Dutch homeowners association is leading a European effort to create a manual showing how communities all over the region can use energy more sustainably and become carbon neutral. “De Stoere Houtman” from Arnhem was inspired by its involvement in an EU-sponsored project (PATH-to-RES) from 2008-10.
The group has worked hard to improve the energy efficiency of existing and new homes, and develop renewables in electricity generation and transport locally. Now it has partnered with five other communities – Ashton Hayes in the UK, Beckerich in Luxembourg, Nebusice near Prague, Jabuka near Belgrade, and a neighbourhood in Reda near Gdansk to found the Communities of a Sustainable Europe (CoSE) network.
The idea is for members to learn from one another. The Dutch environment minister is funding a CoSE manual in which best practices will be documented and distilled down into useful lessons. Experts are helping put it together and face-to-face workshops are organised to help less advanced members benefit from others’ experience. The manual and an accompanying interactive website will be launched in autumn 2011.
Contact:
Jaap Huurman
President of House-Owners Association
De Stoere Houtman
De Houtmanstraat 18
6826 PJ Arnhem
The Netherlands
E-mail:
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Tel: +31 26 3629962 / +31 6 24240111
Web: http://www.destoerehoutman.nl
Project partners:
the Minister of Infrastructure and Environment
The Hague, the Netherlands
www.rijksoverheid.nl
AgentschapNL
Utrecht, the Netherlands
www.agentschapnl.nl
Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral in Ashton Hayes Parish
Chester, United Kingdom
www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk
Beckerich, en route vers l'autonomie énergétique
Beckerich, Luxemburg
www.beckerich.nl
Additional information:
Link 1: http://www.overijssel.nl/thema's/milieu/energiepact/duurzaam-dorp/
Description: more partners from Dutch province
Link 2: http://www.sustainableblacon.org.uk/
Description: new partner from UK
Link 3: http://www.measolle.com/
Description: new partner from France
A multi-national comprehensive educational programme focusing on renewable energy and climate issues
Project TREE (Transfer Renewable Energy Efficiency) is a scholarship-based educational programme promoting skills transfer in renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate protection topics. Its primary target audience is decision makers (government employees, NGO’s, financial providers and project developers) from developing and emerging countries. One of the core concepts behind the training approach is to provide a combination of technology with legal and economic aspects. For example, course content includes information on setting up the necessary legal environment, both public and private, through regulations. In addition, participants learn how to enable and attract investments in renewable energy projects and energy efficiency measures. At the same time, they gain insight into accelerating the implementation of green energy projects.
Germany is sharing its experience with renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies with other countries. Originally launched in 2008, Project TREE’s activities and programmes have already directly reached 600 participants. In 2010, TREE seminars will take place in Berlin, Abu Dhabi, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa and India. Managed by the Renewables Academy AG (RENAC), the German Federal Ministry for the Environment provides funding.
Contact:
Markus Maus
RENAC AG
Schönhauser Allee 10-11
10119 Berlin
Germany
Email:
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Tel: +49 30 526 895 884
Web: www.tree-project.de/
A Lithuanian pensioners union has trained 500 people aged 50+ to work as multifamily house managers to make these buildings more efficient, including through heating audits
Older people in Lithuania often find it hard to get work and poor multifamily buildings management leads to lots of wasted energy. Lithuanian Pensioners Union “Bociai” has come up with a way to kill two birds with one stone by launching training courses for the older generation to become house managers, with an eye on efficiency.
By the summer of 2010, five hundred people over the age of 50 had taken part in one of 25 training courses of seven days delivered across the country. Participating cities included the capital Vilnius plus Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai, Panevezys, Druskininkia and Utena. The courses concluded with one day of exams and each successful participant received a specially prepared book called “Handbook of a manager of multifamily houses”.
A new model of house management is being tested with these trainees. Twenty of them have been grouped together into a special unit that will offer services to house managers, primarily quick assessments of the heating efficiency of selected homes, with a view to improving it. This should lead to further employment of trainees, the Union says.
Contact:
Rimantas Zabarauskas
Project Manager
Union of Lithuanian Pensioners "Bociai"
A.Gostauto g. 5/ Vasario 16-osios g. 2
01106 Vilnius
Lithuania
E-mail:
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Tel: +370 676 38345
Web: http://www.lietuvosbociai.lt
