To strive for a more sustainable future for your organisation, it is important to explore the different options and EdTech solutions that are available to you.
There are many options to explore in this context, but let us begin with just a few:
- Monitor Energy Use and Reduce Waste:
- Energy Efficiency: Schools should routinely monitor and measure their energy use. Energy costs are a significant expense for schools, often second only to teacher salaries. However, up to 25% of energy is lost due to inefficiencies and ageing infrastructure, such as drafty windows, weak insulation, and poorly managed heating and ventilation systems.
- Digital/Paperless Options: Encourage the adoption of paperless practices to reduce paper alongside, reducing single use plastic. By favouring digital communication, assignments, and administrative processes, schools can significantly decrease their environmental impact.
- Choose Sustainable Technology:
- Reduce carbon footprint: Change the way you use devices and the types purchased to save your organisation a lot of money and reduce your carbon footprint, e.g. check for eco certificates on devices/technology.
- Electronic Waste Management: Schools can minimise electronic waste by selecting sustainable technology solutions. Prioritise devices with longer lifespans, recyclable components, and energy-efficient features. When upgrading or replacing technology, consider donating or recycling old devices responsibly.
- Cloud-Based Solutions: Cloud-based platforms and services reduce the need for physical hardware and on-premises servers. By leveraging cloud computing, schools can streamline operations, reduce energy consumption, and lower their carbon footprint.
- Promote Environmental Awareness:
- Curriculum Integration: Incorporate environmental education into the curriculum using EdTech tools. Teach students about sustainability, climate change, and eco-friendly practices. Interactive apps, virtual field trips, and online resources can engage students in learning about environmental issues.
- Student-Led Initiatives: Empower students to take the lead in sustainability efforts. Encourage them to propose and implement eco-friendly projects using technology. For example, students can create awareness campaigns, monitor energy usage, or develop apps that promote sustainable practices within the school community.
Disposing of Electrical Equipment
In 2019, the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) regulations were updated to include newer technologies, such as LED screens. Therefore, it is important that a school/college/MAT comply with this regulation regarding the safe and ecological disposal of electrical equipment. There is a great deal of effort in ensuring that a lot of this equipment is recycled, and Government targets are set for the recycling efficiencies of materials. As an example, for ICT and telecommunications equipment, the recycling target is set at 70%.
DEFRA produced a very interesting document for helping businesses create a greener, more sustainable future through ICT. They produced this table to help businesses (schools) consider their energy footprint from the various types of devices that operate within the premises.
| Source | Environmental impact measured | Data required |
| Laptops, PCs & tablets | Carbon emissions from energy consumption | Model Total energy consumption Number and location If available, energy consumption figures from smart sockets |
| Networks | Carbon emissions from energy consumption | Model Total energy consumption Number and location Operating times |
| Phones & telecoms | Carbon emissions from energy consumption | Model Total energy consumption Number and location |
| Printers | Carbon emissions from energy consumption. Carbon emissions from paper consumption | Model Total energy consumption Number and location Paper consumption Operating times |
| Data centres/server rooms | Carbon emissions from energy consumption | Model Total energy consumption Number of each device in server room Mapping of applications to individual servers or % of data centre energy consumption used by each application Number of users per platform or application. |
| Other devices | Carbon emissions from energy consumption | Model Total energy consumption Number and location If available, energy consumption figures from smart sockets |
| E-waste | None were explicitly measured using this methodology; however, industry averages or manufacturers’ data could be used to provide a figure. | A lifetime of assets Number of devices reused, recycled or disposed of responsibly % of devices sent to landfill as opposed to refurbished, recycled or repurposed. |
All new school buildings delivered by DfE must be net zero and will be future-proofed to adapt to the risks of climate change. This includes ensuring that sustainable ICT solutions will be integrated into new-build schools as standard.
In terms of digital infrastructure, new school buildings are doing the following to reduce their carbon footprint:
- Reduced copper
- Less power sockets
- More USB
- Less transformers
- More Wi-Fi
- Off prem – no on-site servers
- Mobile devices (made from recycled materials)
- Less printing
- Smart Schools
- Smart controls – zoning
- Smart sensors – proximity
- Smart actives
- Smart Wi-Fi
- Smart AV
For the existing schools, the main aim is to install smart meters and Energy Management Systems into schools to provide them with real-time information about their energy use. Schools are being asked to share their smart meter data, which will be used by the DfE to help schools improve their energy efficiency.
The hope is that by the end of 2024, all schools will report their emissions via a standardised framework. Encouraging schools to adopt a sustainability strategy and be fully aware of their carbon footprint and energy efficiency.
One innovation of the DfE is the introduction of the Climate Leaders Award. This is similar to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and the Junior Forester Award – launched in 2022.
Schools are being encouraged to closely follow the ISO 14001 standards to set up an effective environmental management system. Ensuring that suppliers also comply with this standard.
So what EdTech solutions can you consider?
- Going paperless/reducing paper
- Energy efficient software – moving to Cloud software
Going paperless:
- Portable devices for staff
- Deploying 1:1 devices for students – financial and environmental savings e.g. replacing printed worksheets, portfolios to eportfolios, etc. Change in pedagogical practice.
- Digital AfL – assessment and feedback
- Electronic/digital communications, both internal and external – communication and collaboration
- Expanding school information system
- Parent portal for communication
- Implementing a smarter infrastructure – auto shutdowns on devices, technology, etc.
- Desktop computes consume on average 60-200 watts compared to laptops, 20-50 watts.
Energy efficient software – moving to the Cloud:
- Both Microsoft and Google platforms have many applications to encourage communication and collaboration via the cloud – Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
- Setting assignments in Teams and Google Classroom for students
- Monitoring staff and student well-being e.g. Microsoft Reflect
- Digital newsletters – e.g using Microsoft Sway
- Cloud data storage (however, still need to consider GDPR implications and volumes of data being stored and sent)