BSI Education

Sustainability

Challenge 2: The Sustainable School

We live in an energy hungry society. In 2004 the UK used the energy equivalent of 161 million tonnes of oil1 to supply its industrial, transport, service and domestic needs. That’s the amount of oil transported by 590 of the very largest super tankers.

If current trends continue, our energy needs are set to increase to the equivalent of about 180 million tonnes of oil by 20202.

With dwindling reserves of fossil fuels and mounting concern over the level of carbon dioxide emissions, meeting this rising demand is going to provide a big challenge.

One of the ways to help meet this challenge is to increase the efficiency with which we use the energy we already have.

UK government legislation now requires that by 2010 10% of our electricity supply must come from renewable sources, and the government are still aiming to cut carbon dioxide production by 60% by 2050.

At the same time, however, the reserves of fossil fuels we rely on are in increasingly short supply and we need more energy than ever before. The amount of energy the UK uses annually will have increased by over 12% on 2004 figures by 2020.

It is clear that this level of consumption is not sustainable. To ensure that we have a secure and sustainable energy supply for the future we need to:

  • reduce the amount of energy we use
  • use the energy we do need more efficiently
  • use more renewable resources to produce our energy.

These measures are all things that everyone can do on a small scale to help make a difference.

This activity helps you to examine the different energy resources you use in your classroom, where energy might be being wasted and how you might make use of renewable resources.

To take part, just download the Sustainable School Activity Sheet and follow the instructions.

Access the activity sheets, lesson plans and quiz for Challenge 2: The Sustainable School by following the links below.

Did you know that BSI helps to create standards that can be used by organisations to make their buildings and appliances more energy efficient?

Here are two examples:

  1. BS 8207 is a British Standard that gives guidance to the building design and construction industries for achieving energy efficiency for renovating or improving existing housing.
  2. BS EN 153:2006 is a European Standard that gives test methods for manufacturers for measuring the energy used in fridges and food freezers so that they meet the European regulations on making energy savings.

For more information visit BSI education

1Source DEFRA from http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/supp/spkf05.htm accessed 14-01-07

2Based on figure of 158.3 mtoe for year 2000 from http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/supp/spkf05.htm and projected 13% rise in energy consumption during period 2000 to 2020 as stated in CBI report at http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/energybriefnov05.pdf accessed 14-01-0

Related links