Energy Conservation

Canada is one of the highest energy-consuming nations in the world. Most energy consumption in Canada involves burning fossil fuels, such as oil and natural gas. Burning fossil fuels has serious environmental and health consequences. Find out how we can conserve energy at the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) through the EcoSchools program.

Reducing energy consumption

Many schools within the GECDSB have upgraded lighting and installed computer-controlled temperature systems to make buildings more energy efficient. We also encourage students and staff to help reduce energy consumption through individual actions.

Lights and equipment

Here are some things that you can do to help conserve energy:

Understand how you use energy and how you can use less
Turn off lights when they aren't needed
Turn off lights when you leave the room
Turn off or put computers to sleep when they are not in use
Turn off printers, scanners and other electronic equipment when not in use
Purchase energy efficient technology and equipment for your school
Consolidate technology and equipment to make sure the school is not using more equipment than necessary

Heating and cooling

Here are some heating and cooling tips that you can follow to reduce energy consumption at your school:

Close windows and curtains at the end of the day
Use curtains to keep the room cool on hot days and help warm a room on a cold, sunny day
Make sure that the top and space around heating vents and windowsills are free of obstructions
Keep doors to the outside closed and only open when necessary
Report all water leaks and running water

Develop an energy conservation plan

Work on creating an Energy Conservation Plan for your school. This will help staff and students work together to reduce energy consumption.

Energy reviews and monitoring

Part of the EcoSchool certification process is conducting an Energy EcoReview in your school and making sure that steps are taken to reduce energy consumption.

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