In schools that participate in the Save Energy project, pupils, teachers and other staff are working together to save energy. Methods include saving water, shutting off lights when leaving the room and reducing unnecessary ventilation.

Two schools from the capital of Finland Helsinki are participating in the project: the Pihkapuisto elementary school in Malminkartano and the Ala-Malmi Elementary School in Malmi. The pupils and the staff are committed to changing their habits to conserve energy. Building Manager Erkki Pihkoluoma from the city of Helsinki is pleased with the state of these schools. ”I wish the situation was as good in other public buildings too,” he says. Pihkoluoma thinks that the Save Energy project is very important and useful. Saving energy could be a subject in all schools. ”It is great that the pupils see how the electric bill adds up. It will help them change their own consumption habits as well,” he says.

Business makes things difficult

Pihkoluoma says there have been problems in public building maintenance for economic reasons. For example, the buildings have expensive control equipment installed, but the staff do not necessarily know how to operate them. There is a 20 percent energy savings potential according to Pihkoluoma. Savings could be achieved, for example, by balancing the radiator systems.

Pihkoluoma also admires the Save Energy project because it enables the children to take energy saving tips home too.

Juha Haapasaari is the Building Manager of the city of Helsinki who manages, amongst other things, the school of Ala-Malmi, where he thinks the situation is very good.

Haapasaari thinks that although considerable work has been done, there is still room for improvement in the city’s public buildings. “User awareness in buildings needs improvement. There are plans for including energy saving as a part of the profit target, which will probably motivate savings.”

Haapasaari recommends energy saving projects for all public buildings.

People are keen to save energy

Pihkapuisto School resides in the middle of nature. It is a sunny winter’s day and the children are full of beans. Teacher Sampsa Vuori is pleased with the enthusiasm at the school. His energy club is gaining interest among pupils. “We thought we could do all kinds of interesting things there, so we joined”, tell sixth graders Olavi Hätinen, Henri Huuskonen and Teemu Salminen.

Sampsa Vuori’s energy club is one of the accomplishments of the Save Energy project. The club is run by polytechnic students.

The boys have tested how much energy it takes to boil water in the club. They think saving energy is important, especially due to high electricity costs. Climate change is also scary. They have been discussing it in biology class. The boys are enthusiastic computer users, so they are interested in all kinds of calculations. “It’s interesting to see how much electricity is used and especially how you can save it.”

The school cook Hellevi Fagerholm avoids wasting energy in her work. “Waste separation is an old practice here. We turn off lights we don’t use and we fill up the dishwasher before running it. That way we will save water and energy.”

The school janitor Erkki Ortela is satisfied with the consumption habits in the school. ”Things are great here. Not all schools have such good attitudes, but we actually have an emphasis on the environment.” The project involves much work, but Ortela is happy to take part in it.

Considerable savings have been made for example by adjusting the air conditioning, which has reduced electricity use by 40 percent compared with the situation before the adjustments. Principal Pirkko Kaskinen makes sure the whole staff is committed to saving energy. “Energy awareness is a very important factor in recruiting new teachers,” she says.

20 years of tradition in environmental protection

The Ala-Malmi Elementary School is famous for its high quality environmental education. For 20 years, teacher Ulla Tiainen has been talking about environmental issues. People from other schools come to learn about them.

At Ala-Malmi School there are six buildings that have undergone basic improvements. The janitor Tiina Heikkinen tells that they are currently tuning the automatic heaters so that the temperature will be even all around.

”During the Save Energy project the electricity and heat consumption have been monitored. Water saving nozzles have been installed to all faucets. Air conditioning is used efficiently and there are also some savings from lowering the air intake temperature. The buildings are illuminated with energy saving lamps,” Heikkinen lists.

Energy saving and waste sorting is an everyday activity for food service foreman Selma Strömberg. ”Perhaps the Save Energy project has drawn more focus on energy saving. I try to avoid unnecessary consumption, but there is little to save any more.”

The school’s pupils have to do tests related to energy saving. In December they tested how much electricity the christmas lights use. “They use up a lot. It was a big surprise. We could have bought candy with that money,” says eight grader Robert Ridal.

The pupils have changed their consumption habits thanks to the Save Energy project. Eight grader Vili Savioja turns off lights at home and uses less water now.

Energy in general has become a popular topic in school’s education. In the winter the pupils will take photographs and find out how to get energy and well-being from nature. Every pupil has to bring a photograph to physics teacher Jukka Pajunen.

The school is planning to introduce an energy pass, in which the pupils can get a mark for their energy savings. The pupils have tested power consumption of homehold appliances. They have also calculated each others’ carbon footprints.

According to principal Rita Huhtala, the school teaches things that are also useful for the pupils’ families. “We teach how to put electricity providers to competitive tender. In the physics class, we analyze electric bills. Recently we had an open house at the school, where the parents could learn about saving energy.”

Text: Tuija Käyhkö

Photos: Cadu Salles