Long term changes in gas consumption

Common causes of high gas use

  • The heating and hot water system is left running during the school holidays or weekends
  • The heating and hot water system is coming on too early in the morning
  • The heating set temperature is too high
  • The heating thermostat is located in a draughty, hard-to-heat location such as the school hall, so the heating struggles to get the thermostat up to the set temperature, while the rest of the school overheats
  • Windows and doors are opened while the heating is on.

What you should do to cut gas consumption

  • Develop a checklist of energy-saving tasks to be completed before a holiday. Make sure that someone has clear responsibility for each part of the switch off list. This list could include:
    • Heating: most school boilers have frost protection built in, so there is no need to leave your heating running on term time settings. If the school is to be occupied by a few staff members only, it is better to provide those staff with electric fan or panel heaters, rather than heating the whole school, or if the school’s heating is zoned just leave the occupied zone on. Some schools have an egg-timer type boost control which allows staff who come in outside normal hours to turn the heating on for between 30 minutes and 2 hours
    • Hot water: hot water systems can be turned off to save energy. Please remember however to flush the system before the school is occupied again to reduce Legionella risk – you need to do this whether or not you have turned the heating off over a holiday
    • Use our switch-off checklists before the holidays:
  • Switch off the heating and hot water at the weekends
  • Reduce central heating set temperatures:
    • The best temperatures for schools are: 
      • Normal classrooms: 18°C
      • Corridors: 15°C
      • Areas with high levels of activity (e.g. sports halls): 15°C
      • Areas with low levels of activity: 21°C
      • Special needs schools or areas with very young children: 21°C
  • Change heating morning start times:
    • On an average winter day, the heating should come on no more than two hours before the school opens (an earlier start time may be necessary on a Monday).
    • Heating should go off at the time school closes as residual heat in the school should be enough to keep after-school clubs and staff working after school warm without the need for the heating to be left on.
  • Get pupils involved in making sure that windows and doors are closed when the heating is on.