$1 million in ‘green school’ grants

South Australian schools and preschools will be encouraged to save water and energy with support from a $1 million Rann Government ‘green schools’ grants fund.

Education and Children’s Services Minister, Jane Lomax-Smith, announced today 78 schools will receive grants, as part of South Australia’s strategic plan to improve environmental sustainability.

“Many of our schools do a fabulous job in teaching young people how to care for the environment and take action to save water and energy,” Dr Lomax-Smith says.

“These grants will help schools and preschools improve their water and energy efficiency and will also allow the Government to direct any savings back into educating children.

“These ‘ecologically sustainable development’ grants are an important element in the State Government’s strategy to manage South Australia’s water resources, improve our energy use and help fund the reforms of the State’s public education system.

“Schools and preschools have led the way in conservation strategies.

“We must all work together on South Australia’s plan to reduce energy use in government buildings by 25 per cent by 2014 and manage the State’s water resources within sustainable limits by 2018.”

These grants complement our $1.25 million Solar Schools Program, which has provided solar power to 112 schools and preschools across the State.

We are well on the way to achieving our target of having 250 solar schools by 2014.

Grants being allocated under the green schools measure include:

* Christies Beach High School and Richmond Primary School each receive $50,000 to retrofit their buildings with more energy efficient technologies. Both schools will test a range of technologies including efficient lighting systems, timers, dimmers and hot water systems before choosing the most efficient energy systems. The cheapest and most efficient technologies will be rolled out to other public State schools.
* The largest single initiative: eight schools in regional areas and Bowden Brompton Community School will share a total of $475,000 to automate their irrigation systems so that they can water their grounds at night, thereby reducing water loss through evaporation.
* Six schools in the Northern suburbs (Burton, Direk, Pooraka, Karendi and Parafield Gardens Primary Schools and Salisbury Primary and Junior Primary schools) receive a total of $90,000 to access aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) water from the Waterproofing Northern Adelaide ASR program.
* In addition, 34 of the State’s largest energy consuming schools will receive $7000 each to audit and reduce their energy use and 32 schools will receive $3000 each to audit their irrigation systems so they will supply water more efficiently.
* 11 school and preschool campuses will be able to use ASR water and as a result will reduce their use of mains water by 80 percent.