Lincs: Project to reduce school’s energy use gets top marks in competition

The SCoRE (Schools Collaboration on Resource Efficiency) project encourages students to promote sustainability and reduce energy use through activities like energy audits.

It took gold in the Green Apple Awards, a national campaign to find Britain’s greenest companies, councils and communities.

Representatives of the SCoRE team accepted the award at the Houses of Parliament.

Their accomplishments in reducing energy consumption within a local authority placed first out of 500 competitors.

Coun David Brailsford, portfolio support councillor for Children’s Services, said: “We are extremely proud to have won this award, and it simply would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of schools involved with SCoRE.”

“The ambassadors should be very proud of themselves; their role is absolutely key in ensuring change is implemented in schools.”

The SCoRE programme trains students to become carbon ambassadors.

It’s delivered in partnership with Inspiring Outdoors, specialising in environmental education and sustainability.

Schools who have participated in the programme have reduced their electricity consumption by an average of eight per cent in just a few weeks with some seeing a reduction of up to 50 per cent in their energy bills.

With schools spending around £7m per year on their energy bills, the programme is significantly contributing to the target of a 22 per cent reduction in the council’s carbon dioxide emissions by 2018.

To find out more visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/score.