Heidelberg - Germany
E – Team Project of the city of HeidelbergBackground
Since 1994 the Office of Environmental Protection, Trade Supervision and Energy of the City of Heidelberg has been implementing a project to save energy in schools, the so-called E-Team Project, in cooperation with students, teachers, head teachers and caretakers. So far, 19 schools are participating in the project. The topic of energy and climate protection is being addressed in study groups or integrated into normal lessons and campaigns to save energy, e.g. energy rallies, competitions to save energy, solar-powered boat or car constructions.
In Heidelberg, the energy and environment topic has become firmly established in the classroom and interdisciplinary projects are being carried out. The energy conservation issue has become part of the curriculum and the E-Team project is a special element within it. At the same time, the E-Team project strengthens the school children’s personal responsibility as well as their communications and problem solving abilities. The pupils act as multipliers and carry their new knowledge home.
Building details |
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| Type of building : |
Schools |
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| Year of project Start : |
The project runs since the school year 1995/1996 |
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| Buildings participating in Display® : |
19 |
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Project Description |
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| Aim |
The key element of this school project is the energy saving teams, the so-called E-Team. They are composed of pupils, teachers and the person in charge of energy (mostly the caretaker) and are supported by the school administration. The E-Teams analyse the energy consumption of the school, design energy saving programmes and realise them with strong public relations activities carried out in parallel. Creative ideas are being developed to make energy and water usage more efficient by means of behavioural and smaller technical improvements.
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| Key points |
How the project is organised
_ The office of Environmental Protection, Energy and Health Promotion offers advice in cooperation with the ifeu Institute on issues of energy consumption, gives tips on how to save energy and makes specific proposals for campaigns. In order to guarantee good communication between schools, the Environmental office organises meetings for schools once a year to allow them to share their experiences.
_ How is the energy saving measured ?
_ On 31 December each year, the data are collected. For all the construction and technical measures correction values are calculated. The analysis of heat consumption takes into account how cold or warm the winter was. To register energy consumption and to reduce energy costs, it is important to have an energy controlling system that records energy consumption on a monthly basis. |
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| Reason for inclusion as Shining Example |
The City of Heidelberg offers schools comprehensive support in implementing the E-Team project. This has included the provision of all participating schools with kits consisting of equipment for measuring electricity consumption, temperature and light intensity, thus enabling pupils to monitor electricity and water consumption. Another tool is the energy info mobile which can be hired by schools.
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Costs & Benefits |
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| Costs & funding |
The Environment Office of the city of Heidelberg has a budget of approx. €215,000 for climate protection projects, with further funds available for local authority renewal projects.
_ Additional funding for energy-related redevelopment measures and new building by local authorities is also available from the property management budget and also from planning offices such as the schools’ administration or sports departments. €50,000 is available for the business support program and €60,000 for the local energy agency.
_ An annual budget of approx. €470,000 is available for the support program for rational energy use, which is used to provide grants for energy upgrades such as external wall insulation, roof insulation and window replacement as well as low energy and passive housing. |
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| Benefit |
Annually, the energy savings in the schools are about 5%. A total of over 1,500 t carbon dioxide has been saved since the introduction of the E-Team project.
_ There have been savings in energy costs totalling 230,000 euro for the same period. A major part of the savings that have been made are due to the people who use the buildings changing their behaviour.
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Partners & Roles |
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| Partnership details |
- The Heidelberg Environmental Department
 The Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg (ifeu)
The Department for School Administration
The City’s Engineering Department
Several Schools. |
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Recommendations |
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| Achievements |
As an incentive, the city of Heidelberg has established a bonus system which is composed of two different parts :
_ The first part depends on energy consumption :
40% of the energy costs saved by all schools will be distributed to the active schools. This is done using a point system based upon current activities, which have to be backed up by a written report. The energy savings thus documented determine 50% of the distribution of rewards. Since the system was slightly changed in 2002/2003, the other half rewards pedagogic work in the schools, regardless of the energy savings achieved. Thus, schools that could not achieve any energy savings due to unfavourable basic conditions (construction measures, higher number of building users) now have the chance to take advantage of the programme.
_ Communication, creating structures in schools, building teams between school and administration, integrating energy issues in lessons.
_ Projects in the pipeline for 2007 :
Official handing over of a cheque for the schools for the saved energy costs in 2006
Official ceremony for the award (Umweltpreis 2007) concerning projects on environmental education in schools
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