Schools collaborate on sustainable lifestyle project

The Malta Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies Association (Meerea), together with St Francis Girls Secondary School, Sliema, and St Ignatius College Boys Secondary School, Ħandaq, collaborated in a project entitled ‘School Communities towards a Sustainable Lifestyle’.

The project, carried out throughout the scholastic year, aimed to make students, teachers and parents more aware of sustainable energy at school and home.

The results of these actions were presented at two separate activities during the Sustainable Energy Europe Week, held last month.

This was the first time a state school and a church school collaborated on a European sustainable energy project. Students participated in the programme and pooled their knowledge through visits, presentations and experience sharing.

St Francis Secondary School teachers, students and parents worked on a school energy audit.

Based on the results, a number of energy efficient measures have been made proposed for the new extension of the school and the existing building. Major improvements include changing computer screens to energy-efficient screens and installing neon tubes throughout.

Students were encouraged to develop working models that tried to make use of renewable sources of energy and through an inquiry-based process, teachers encouraged their students to apply their new knowledge and skills.

The students carried out research on wind turbines and have acquired funds from the Malta Council for Science and Technology to build a real operating wind turbine, mainly composed of recycled material.

They also considered how solar energy could be used and one group designed and built a number of solar cells using copper plates, copper oxide and saline solution.

Tours were also organised to St Ignatius College, the first school in Malta to incorporate solar water heaters, solar photovoltaic systems and sun pipes.

For more information, visit www.goingrenewable.webs.com, www.meerea.org/sustain2011.