Project Outline:

Waste / Energy Minimisation in an Educational Establishment

 

The application of waste and energy minimisation technology and ideology in a school or college is a relatively unexplored area and poses as many problems as it does possibilities. An accepted definition of waste minimisation would be: Management methods for systematically reducing emissions to land, water and air. In this specific project’s context this will take the form of a two part study incorporating waste minimisation at a practical level and energy minimisation using monitoring of resources and emissions control methodology.

 

The possibility of student involvement should be addressed, whether in the form of awareness talks about waste minimisation or full involvement with the project. If full involvement did not fit in with the syllabus then awareness talks could be considered.

 

The project will comprise of several different parts:

  

Waste:

Various areas concerning waste could be considered with a main target of reducing the amount of waste produced by the college/school. In considering the concept of reducing the waste output from any organisation the government has put forward the following hierarchy:

 
 

Reduction is about using less materials at the production / purchasing stage and therefore creating less waste, which obviously has direct cost saving implications.

Reusing is the next priority. If the amount of material that is reusable is not significant then steps can be taken at the procurement stage to purchase more reusable materials, thus saving more money.

Recycling should only be considered when the previous solutions have been exhausted as it is energy exhaustive and not as financially beneficial.

Disposal should only be necessary when the material is not reusable or recoverable.

 

The first step in waste minimisation would be to construct a basic waste audit so that certain target areas or specific locations can be pinpointed. The next step would be to draw up an action plan for the target areas and monitor them, The last step would be implementation and recommendation of a waste minimisation strategy.

 

Energy:

From an energy point of view a school or college poses some difficult problems due to the ‘floating’ nature of the people within the establishment. The energy side of the report will be concerned with electrical, heating and lighting. A brief energy audit will be carried out and an ongoing monitoring programme will be introduced.

Another part of the study will look at renewable energies and better conservation of energy. This part of the report will take the shape of: Conservation, minimisation, reduction, reusing and waste heat recovery. The overall aim of this part will be to reduce the amount of energy used and the amount of energy wasted. This will take place in a very similar methodology to the waste minimisation and will run alongside.

 

Aim’s
 

To reduce the amount of waste produced by the establishment

To reduce the amount of energy used and wasted by the establishment

To make recommendations for waste heat recovery, waste minimisation and energy efficiency

To make money saving changes to the structure/ management of the organisation

To make recommendations for a management system for the implementation of these systems

To make general recommendations for an educational establishment

To produce a waste policy

 

 

 

 

Index