Schools energy efficiency support
The council supports schools in the borough to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their carbon emissions which will also reduce the schools 
energy costs. The council is currently delivering the following projects:
Project Earth Rock
Project Earth Rock is a multimedia resource for teaching sustainability that is aimed at Key Stage 2 but has been used and enjoyed by pupils in Key Stage 1. Its cross-curricular animated musical approach enables teachers and pupils to easily access its themes. All the themes are linked to various parts of the national curriculum and these links are explained within the resource pack.
The 12 songs, lesson plans and accompanying videos bring environmental topics to life in the classroom. The 12 themes are:
- Power Challenge
- School Council Song
- Disposable
- Water Story
- Fossil Fools
- Counting the Carbon
- Meat Reducer
- Transportation
- Compost and Grow
- Small Grains
- You don’t have to fly
- The Rainforest Song
The resource also supports all of the topics of the Eco Schools programme.
The resource is very flexible as the themes can either be implemented as a term of work or alternatively can be used as individual lessons. The videos also work on a standalone basis and are great for assemblies.
Project Earth Rock is designed for the class teacher to use without them needing to have any in depth knowledge of sustainability topics.
The resource pack consists of:
- A resource book that contains suggested lesson plans for the 12 themes and includes links with the National Curriculum. It also includes other resources, such as worksheets, that can be used in the lesson.
- The Project Earth Rock DVD containing the song-teaching videos, karaoke videos and animations for the 12 themes.
- Piano sheet music for assemblies and concerts.
If you would like a free resource pack for your school or further information please contact:
David Esdaile
david.esdaile@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7364 6649
Schools Energy Retrofit Programme
Funding from the council’s Carbon Offset Fund was made available for the Schools Energy Retrofit Programme. The programme will provide grants to schools across the Borough to proactively carry out energy reduction and energy efficiency projects that will reduce the school’s carbon emissions.
There was an open application process for schools to come forward with projects they would like funded and these were considered by a panel. The purpose is to ensure that the funding is used to install the most efficient measures possible and support schools in doing this as many school budgets do not allow for improvements or retrofit works to happen.
We received more applications than we had funding available for so a panel assessed the applications and 8 projects that are going to achieve the highest carbon emissions and a good value for money were selected.
Read a case study of a completed project.
We do not currently have any funding available for this programme but are looking to make more funding available in the near future. So if you have a project that we can support with funding then please contact.
David Esdaile
david.esdaile@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7364 6649
Schools Carbon Emission Reduction Programme
Funding from the Carbon Offset Fund was approved the Schools Carbon Emission Reduction Programme. The programme provided 9 maintained schools with 10 per cent funding towards energy reduction projects that will reduce associated carbon emissions. The projects were delivered by Children’s Services Capital & Asset Management Team as part of their 2017/18 capital programme.
The 10 per cent funding is being provided as schools are requested to provide this proportion of funding towards the projects but these schools were unable to due to having no remaining budget available. By providing this funding to them it ensured that these vital projects went ahead and ensured that they were as energy efficient as possible.
These projects will reduce the schools carbon emissions which will contribute to the council’s carbon emission reduction target and deliver projects from the Carbon Management Plan.
In total funding of £180,000 was provided to pay 10 per cent of the costs of 9 projects that will achieve carbon emission reductions of 62 tonnes.