A number of middle and elementary schools have taken the initiative to go green even before the government starts its energy conservation campaign.
Chongde Elementary School in Sijhih City (汐止), Taipei County, is touted as a model “green school.” The school is known for creating a natural habitat for fireflies on campus, has reduced the school’s electricity consumption by 5,200 watts and continues to work towards becoming a low-carbon school.
The school’s principal, Lin Wen-sheng (林文生), said the school does not use air conditioning prior to 10am in temperatures 28°C and below.
PHOTO: LO CHENG-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
All electric plugs in classrooms and offices are removed from the outlets when class is not in session, he said, adding that the school also replaced incandescent light bulbs in the hallways with energy-saving light bulbs.
In Taoyuan County, Jhongli Elementary School recently constructed an eco-pond called “Frog Country.” Drain water from the school’s sinks is exposed to sunlight, filtered and flows into the pond, which is inhabited by tadpoles and frogs.
The stream of water running into the pond has also considerably cooled the temperature around the campus, school staffers said.
Meanwhile, Ilan County’s Yucai Elementary School spent more than NT$70,000 on a solar generator in February.
It has since generated 2,270 watts and saved more than NT$5,600 in electrical fees. The school also installed a machine that collects rainwater from the roof and distributes the water into six barrels.
The water is then used for watering flowers or for cooling the classrooms. Although the water and electrical fee reductions do not cover the cost of the installations, they serve to set an example and educate the children, a school representative said.
Last year Chiayi County’s Shuangsi Elementary School devised an energy conservation and carbon reduction plan. They constructed heat-deflecting roofs and windows.
A roof cover was also built to keep classrooms cool in the summer and warm in the winter. This year they plan to use rainwater to cool classrooms and decrease the consumption of electricity.
In Tainan County, Shuangchun Elementary School director Wang Li-hui (王麗惠) discussed the school’s two sets of 42 solar panels. In the summer, the panels generate 500 watts to 600 watts of electricity and 400 watts to 500 watts in the winter, she said, adding that the school uses around 10,000 watts in the summer and therefore saves around 5 percent of its consumption with the solar panels.
The school is now installing a wind generator, which will power the aerator for a fishpond, she said.
Meanwhile, in addition to switching to energy-saving light bulbs, Kaohsiung County’s Jingyi Elementary School has also used old tables and chairs to build animal-shaped cupboards. Principal Li Jin-shi (李進士) said that since the green movement began, the school has saved up to one-third of its costs.
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