Schools hit hard by energy price rises

Schools hit hard by energy price rises

Schools will be hit hard by the rise in energy costs resulting from the introduction of the emissions trading scheme (ETS).

At the same time the government introduced the ETS with its unavoidable energy price increases, school funding for energy-related spending was capped until 2012 in this year’s budget. Many schools are currently struggling with ongoing increases in their energy demands as a result of increasing school roles, new buildings and an ever increasing uptake of educational technologies requiring additional energy use.

“Schools will have to adapt quickly and manage their energy consumption or face large energy budget overruns that the Ministry of Education is no longer able to fund” according to Enviro Challenge New Zealand Trust chairman Calum Revfem. Mr.Revfem points out that in a recent survey of 100 New Zealand high schools, only 14% of schools had an energy management plan.

Ambassador students from high schools involved in the Enviro Challenge education programme plan to send a clear message to their school boards of trustees and principals when they present their energy efficiency solutions in Auckland on Thursday 15th July. The forty students from throughout the North Island have been working on energy solutions in their own high schools and are in Auckland on a week-long ambassador leadership training programme. The event is sponsored by Kids Restore New Zealand and will take place at Auckland Girls Grammar school’s Dorothy Winstone Centre at 12.30pm.

ENDS

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