Module 3 – STRUT Dashboard and Classroom Audit (ED)

Classroom Energy Audit

Let’s now investigate how much energy your classroom is using every day and how that compares to other classrooms across Australia. When we understand how much energy lighting, heating, cooling and appliances use we can make informed decisions about how we can reduce our energy consumption in the future. Since energy consumption is the greatest impact that Victorian schools’ have on the environment, reducing your school’s energy consumption is the simplest way to reduce this environmental impact.

Conducting an Audit  

In teams of four, (or as a whole class) use the Energy Audit Form below to help you record how much energy is being used in your classroom.

Conducting an audit 

Basic Energy Audit_Lighting

Basic Energy Audit_Heating and Cooling

Australian Classrooms

Australian classrooms use an average of 3800 kWh of electricity each year – which is half the amount of an average Australian household.

Let’s assume that the electricity consumption you have calculated in your energy audit is representative of an average day in the year. Calculate the yearly energy consumption of your classroom by multiplying the daily amount by 365 (for the days in the year).

Understanding power consumption

Discuss the following topics as a class and then write your answers below:

• How does this compare with the national average?
• What ways do you think your class can reduce the electricity consumption for the classroom?
• Were you surprised at the amount of energy the classroom consumes each day? Why/why not?

STRUT Weather Station Dashboard Tutorial

This activity can be completed individually or as a class.

In the next Module, you’ll be using the STRUT Weather Station Dashboard to gather and record data about solar exposure and wind speeds at your school.

Username / email: weatherstation@geelongtechschool.vic.edu.au 
Password: $trutgeelong

Link to Strut Dashboard – Strut Systems Dashboard