Energy Detectives at Roe Valley Integrated Primary School

Tue, April 12, 2016

Energy Detectives at Roe Valley Integrated Primary School

Last month thirty-two Primary 6 pupils from Roe Valley Integrated Primary School participated in the Energy Detectives Initiative, funded by The Public Health Agency and organised by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Environmental Health Department. Pictured are Primary 6 pupils from Roe Valley Integrated Primary School with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council's Home Assessment Officer, Janice Steele.

Last month thirty-two Primary 6 pupils from Roe Valley Integrated Primary School participated in the Energy Detectives Initiative, funded by The Public Health Agency and organised by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Environmental Health Department.  

Pupils had the opportunity to become energy detectives and take part in fun activities that helped them identify energy thieves at home and to discover where energy is being wasted.  They were given energy monitors to take home and test how much energy different appliances used during a week and completed a workbook to record their findings. 

The initiative was a great success with teachers, parents and pupils alike discovering how much energy they could save in their own homes. Janice Steele, Home Assessment Officer at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, presented each pupil with an Energy Detectives Initiative Certificate and bag containing a torch, pen, Energy Detectives cup and energy saving advice.  One pupil was also given a £20 Argos voucher for an outstanding workbook.

To help conserve energy, please see below these ten tips that can be easily completed within the household:

1. Turn off lights when you leave a room and invest in low energy light bulbs.
2. Try not to overheat the room.  Recommended temperatures are 21°C in the main living area and 18°C in other rooms.  A 1°C decrease in room temperature can reduce your fuels bill by up to 10%.
3. Don’t leave your appliances on stand-by and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily.
4. Have a shower instead of a bath- you can have five, five-minute showers for the cost of one bath! This saves water as well as energy.
5. Close curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping.  If you have radiators under your windows, make sure your curtains do not cover them.
6. Don’t overfill kettles- just boil the amount you need.
7. Always wash with a full load and spin dry clothes before tumble-drying.
8. Defrost your freezer regularly and don’t put warm or hot food straight into the fridge or freezer – let it cool first.
9. When buying a new appliance, choose the most energy efficient (A is best G is worst).
10. If your hot water tank has a thermostat set it to 60°C.

For further advice on energy please contact Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council on 028 777 60302. 

ENDS