German 2IMPREZS pilot school Halepaghen-Schule Buxtehude are taking the Energy Challenges head on
The Halepaghen-Schule Buxtehude (HPS) in Buxtehude, Germany is a large grammar school that was founded in 1390. Currently, 1200 pupils attend the HPS, with a significant number of them dedicated to solving energy saving solutions throughout their school in the 2019 2IMPREZS Energy Challenges and beyond.
The Halepaghen-Schule Buxtehude (HPS) school building in Buxtehude, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Germany.
Following the launch of the 2019 2IMPREZS Energy Challenges in Germany this February, the HPS has elected some Energizers to identify energy-related problems—whether they be technical or behavioural—throughout their school. Accordingly, solutions have been discussed and approved to tackle the problems.
The Energizers of HPS have suggested mainly behavioural solutions, such as better monitor the building’s heating or being more mindful about maintaining proper ventilation in a given room. Thus, banners have been posted reminding the pupils to conserve energy in specific ways. HPS ‘’climate guards’’ keep their eye on the other pupils to ensure the energy saving rules are being followed and offer advice for improvement. Additionally, a cooperation with the Hochschule 21 is currently underworks to insulate portions of the large windows in the break hall.
The Energizers pay special attention to keeping the large doors in the break hall closed.
Other awesome actions carried out by the Energizers of Buxtehude include the introduction of a school-wide Veggie Day. The goal behind the weekly Veggie Day in the school cafeteria is to provide the HPS’s 1200 students with more vegetarian options that have lower carbon impacts than their meatier counterparts. There has also been a completely vegetarian week at the HPS for the same purpose. On a day-to-day basis, meat and vegetarian food is separated beforehand and can be bought separately so the pupils’ energy-consuming choices become more conscious ones.
The HPS Energizers have improved the offers of the cafeteria by offering more vegetarian dishes in their weekly Veggie Day.
Throughout the 2019 2IMPREZS Energy Challenges, the Energizers of HPS have deemed their school building to be quite old and in need of energy renovation work. The proactive HPS Energizers report that these renovation works are going to happen over the next year, potentially under the 2IMPREZS project.
German 2IMPREZS partner, the European Institute for Innovation, oversees the German pilot schools for the 2IMPREZS project. Halepaghen-Schule Buxtehude has been a very instrumental pilot school, never hesitating to offer constructive criticism and valuable feedback that can contribute to successful energy saving programmes in schools in the future. Good luck to HPS Buxtehude in the international 2019 2IMPREZS Energy Challenges!
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