With the holiday season upon us, there is a lively upwelling of activity in shops, homes and businesses across the country. K - 12 schools seem different — they sit empty while every other building is bursting with energy and holiday cheer.

Although they may not appear as festive, most school buildings are actually using lots of energy as HVAC systems, appliances and even lights are left on over break. How can schools successfully shut down over the holidays or anytime the building is empty for a significant amount of time? Here are some of PowerSave’s top tips:

1.       Shutdown fliers for teachers and staff

Teachers may not be aware of the number of steps they can take to reduce building energy use while they’re away. Giving them a shutdown flier or checklist with easy steps to save will act as a good reminder of how they can help. Some flier tips can include:

• turning off the lights
• turning off the HVAC or adjusting it so it uses the least amount of energy
• closing blinds
• turning off all computers
• unplugging all appliances (in case they have phantom loads.

​Adding a small piece of candy to the fliers can act as a good incentive to follow through on these actions. Also, encouraging teachers to post their completed checklists on their doors reminds others to follow suit.

2.       Conduct a student walk-through shutdown

On the day before holiday break, a team of students can be responsible for reminding teachers to shut down their classrooms before they leave. The team can visit each class during the day and give verbal reminders or pass out shutdown fliers. They could also stay behind after school to help each individual room minimize their energy usage and reduce plug loads by cleaning out and unplugging fridges and microwaves.

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3.       Contact the school custodian

Having the school custodian participate in the shutdown is a huge help to the school savings goals. As custodians are the last to visit the classrooms before break, they have the opportunity to catch any area of energy waste that students or teachers may have missed. Obtaining custodian help ensures that classrooms will have one more set of eyes scouring for potential savings opportunities. Custodians also have the opportunity to control areas of energy use in places that students and teachers may not be aware of. 

4.       School awareness and outreach

The more that students and staff are reminded of the shutdown, the more likely they are to participate. Reminding teachers at a faculty meeting and sending out a shutdown email will help the message stick. Announcements over the loudspeakers and at holiday assemblies will also reach the students.

Immense savings can be recognized through an effective shutdown. For instance, Richmond High School in Richmond, California managed to reduce energy use by 23% after a Thanksgiving shutdown compared to the same time the year before. Knowing that one day of shutdown actions results in weeks of energy savings is a huge incentive for schools to participate. Happy Savings!