SCHOOLS are proving to be environmental friendly after slashing their energy bills and carbon emissions to make Harrow the third best London borough for cutting its CO2 emissions.
Over the past year, Harrow Council has worked in partnership with schools, community centres and other centres to help make energy savings and carbon emission reductions through the Mayor of London’s RE:FIT projects, which has included boiler replacements, modern lighting upgrades, insulation and draft proofing.
Pupils at Pinner Wood School in Latimer Gardens, were the first to celebrate the scheme and made banners and welcomed the Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Nizam Ismail, on Monday for the event.
Headteacher Debra Spruce said: “It was a wonderful day. Our eco group, accompanied by Mrs O’Shea and Mrs McKenon, gave a presentation to the whole school about the ecological and funding benefits of the scheme and reminded the children of all the things they have been doing to improve and safeguard our environment.
“The group joined the mayor for a tour of the school and the official reception. They were able to ask the engineers questions about the scheme and energy saving in Harrow.”
Six schools have taken part in the scheme and the success is also being celebrated during National Climate Week, which runs from March 4 to March 10, at Glebe School, D’Arcy Garden, Harrow, and Stanburn School, Abercorn Road, Stanmore.
Harrow Council’s portfolio holder for environment and community safety, councillor Phillip O’Dell, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to achieve savings in such a short amount of time.”
RE:FIT provides a commercial model for public bodies wishing to make big savings, improve the energy performance of their buildings and reduce their CO2 footprint.
The project is guaranteed to deliver at least a 20 per cent saving in carbon emissions and energy bill savings and a payback period of up to 10 years.
The scheme was set up to limit further climate change in London and globally, with the Mayor of London setting a target to reduce London’s CO2 emissions by 60 per cent of 1990 levels by 2025.
