Heating

 

 

  • Children have higher metabolic rates than adults so they are comfortable and easier to communicate with in cooler environments. The Department of Education and Skills recommends 18°C for normal teaching, 15°C for corridors and sports halls and 21°C for low activity, special needs schools or those with very young children.
  • For every 1°C of overheating, you increase energy consumption by 8-10%. A reduced temperature of 10°C is sufficient during the night for most buildings.
  • Obtain feedback from staff and students – encourage them to report draughts, or if they are too cold or too hot. This will minimise the amount of people who use additional small heaters or open windows to regulate the temperature.
  • Get students involved by asking them to make suggestions and understand the impact of their actions when it comes to consuming energy.
  • Match heating needs to the time of day and outside environment – review time settings monthly to adapt to seasonal changes.
  • Keep furniture and other equipment away from radiators and vents to improve heat circulation.
  • Reducing the temperature by 1°C can save enough energy to print over 40 million sheets of A4 paper. Turning the heating down by 2°C could save you £140 on a £1,000 bill.
  • Thermal Window Film can be installed to existing glazing to reduce heat loss by reflecting heat back to its source. These products (also known as low emissivity window films) contain a special coating which reflects radiant heat. The installation of Thermal Window Film can reduce the amount of heat that is lost through glazing by as much as 40%!