– Microsoft, SEAI and SSE Airtricity partnership proves popular as over 100 members of community come together for school’s event –
200 bright sparks from Collinstown Park Community College in Clondalkin have taken part in an energy efficiency programme which was celebrated on the 4th April. The Mayor of South Dublin County Council Mark Ward, along with parents, teachers and community members attended the Energy Efficiency Evening organised by SSE Airtricity, Microsoft with support from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). In the weeks building up to the event, students from first year and transition year designed and produced energy efficiency projects, attended SEAI workshops and took part in a ‘Generation Green 5-Day Energy Challenge’. The projects, which were on display at the event, showcased how the enthusiastic energy learners used the tips from the workshop and challenge to make their lives more energy efficient.
Speaking at the event, “Generation Green Leader’ and transition year student Victory Luke said: “As a team leader, I felt that, as well as sharing information with other students, I learned a lot myself. We all worked well as a team, organised the event efficiently, developed our communication skills, gained confidence from our participation, and contributed to our school community understanding the urgency of addressing climate change. I want to thank SEAI, SSE Airtricity and Microsoft for their engagement with our school and for helping the whole school community understand that there is no Planet B and that we must all do our best to make a positive impact when it comes to making Ireland more sustainable.”
South Dublin County Council Mayor, Cllr. Mark Ward said: “I was delighted to be asked to speak at the Energy Efficiency Evening in Collinstown Park Community College. It was very encouraging to see young members of the community getting involved in sustainable activities that are positives for society and for the future leaders in our community. This project means the school’s green energy contribution is helping South Dublin Community to meet energy efficiency targets and Ireland’s 2020 targets. The exhibits on display showed the wonderful talent of the young people of North Clondalkin and their ability to think outside the box. As a society we need to listen to the voices of the young. This planet is their future. There is no planet B.”
The Energy Efficiency Evening followed a range of energy improving works carried out in Collinstown Park Community College.Microsoft, who have a strong relationship with the school through their community engagement programme, recently funded a deep retrofit of the school’s energy infrastructure. The project, which was carried out by SSE Airtricity and granted funding by the SEAI, involved installing 30 solar panels on the roof and upgrading all lighting throughout the campus to high efficiency LED lights. The retrofit resulted in 110,000 kWH of energy savings per year and will cut the school’s annual electricity bill by more than 50%.
Photo Credit: Joe Keogh
