Ed Balls sets out action to turn schools green

The news comes as the Government accepts the recommendations of the Zero Carbon Task Force (ZCTF), which has published its report on what needs to be done to cut the carbon footprint of schools across England. The key recommendations which the Government will look to deliver include; at least four pilot zero carbon schools will be operational in each government region before 2016 to demonstrate how zero carbon can be achieved and to provide learning for future projects, and measures will be introduced to ensure that energy and carbon are a priority from the design through to operation of school projects. Research by the Carbon Trust shows that smart meters and wider behavioural changes in using energy could see 10 to 15% cuts in fuel bills – meaning the average one-form primary school could save up to £700 a year and the average 900-pupil secondary school more than £3,000 a year on fuel bills alone, potentially releasing millions of pounds across the entire schools system. Together with the energy display meter programme, later this year the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) will launch a year-long communications campaign designed to help schools reduce their overall energy costs. Visiting the eco-friendly Pimlico Academy in London, Schools Secretary Ed Balls said: "It's not just about making new buildings green – existing schools can be adapted to make them more efficient. Our £12 million investment programme encouraging schools across England to get a free energy display meter installed will give schools real-time digital information about their energy use and help children learn about climate change." "Governors and headteachers also need to seize the initiative and not bury their heads in the sand. And so later this year, we will launch an awareness campaign to support them to mobilise the whole of their school from teachers to pupils to parents, and create an energy and climate change aware school culture."