3 ways to reduce school energy bills this winter

Find out some practical ways your school can drastically reduce its energy bills this winter with a little help from Utility Rentals.

Jordan
Author
Jordan
Published: January 4, 2021

Schools can rack up substantial energy costs over the winter months. In this article, we look at how energy-efficient technologies, combined with energy-savvy behaviour, can help reduce school energy bills (and minimise your carbon footprint) during the chilly spell!

3 ways to reduce school energy bills

There are a number of equipment updates you can make that will dramatically cut your school’s energy consumption. Let’s take a look:

1) LED lighting

One of the simplest changes you can make to reduce school energy bills is by improving school lighting. Lighting is a huge expense for schools and it can account for up to 50% of a school’s total electricity use!

Light Emitting Diodes (or LEDs) use very little energy and, with an average lifespan of 50,000 hours, they have a much longer working life than traditional fluorescent bulbs! They also consume around 60% less energy than fluorescent bulbs and can reduce school energy bills by as much as 70-90%!

2) Boiler optimisers

Boiler optimisers are devices that reduce the number of times your boiler ‘cycles’ or fires up. Fewer firing cycles mean a reduction in your boiler’s gas or oil consumption. These devices also work out how long it takes for your school building to reach its ideal temperature and adjust the on/off times of your boiler accordingly – to avoid any excess energy use. Boiler optimisers not only generate cost savings of around 15%, they also help your school reduce its carbon footprint.

3) Energy-efficient hand dryers

By making the move away from paper towels and old-fashioned hand dryers, your school can score some substantial savings! New models of hand dryers, such as the Dyson Airblade, have a much faster drying time meaning they’re substantially cheaper to run.

Your school can expect to see cost savings of up to 86% when compared to traditional warm-air hand dryers. If switching from messy paper towels you can expect an annual saving of up to a huge 99%! They’re far more economic to maintain due to fewer breakdowns. There’s also no need for anyone to stock hand towel dispensers when they run empty.

As well as cost savings, your school will be doing its bit for the environment by investing in energy-efficient equipment. Through some simple changes in equipment and in behaviour (e.g. turning off devices and lights when they’re not in use or unplugging equipment rather than leaving it on ‘stand-by’ over weekends and holidays) your school can make a real difference.

At Utility Rentals, we’re proud to be a Carbon Trust Accredited Supplier and we believe we all have a role to play in being environmentally-aware and using eco-friendly technologies where possible. Our energy-efficient equipment is available through flexible rental agreements designed specifically for schools and we have a wealth of experience in working with the education sector.

 

To find out more about equipment to help you reduce school energy bills this winter and beyond, call on the friendly team at Utility Rentals!

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