Energy Efficiency Savings at Malmsbury PS

Malmsbury Primary School, with support from Sustainable Malmsbury volunteers and a grant from Macedon Ranges Shire Council, has reduced electricity use from the grid by one third (8 Megawatt hours) from November 2019 to October 2020 compared to the same period the year before. This reduction equates to a saving of around 9.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions: more than the annual emissions from the electricity use of two average Malmsbury homes.

These savings were achieved despite the school’s solar PV system being decommissioned due to an electrical fault in April 2019. Once the solar PV is re-installed under warranty, the actual savings will be even greater.

Tell me more! How was this remarkable feat achieved?

We’re glad you asked. A live energy monitoring device was installed to locate and address the biggest energy wasting appliances. We raised awareness with teachers and children about energy saving behaviours and we installed basic energy efficiency retrofits, such as draught sealing, insulation and LED lighting.

You can reduce your energy use and energy bills at home by:

·       Checking out our energy efficiency posters, detailing mostly free or low-cost things you can do at home

·       Contact Sustainable Malmsbury for free advice or a free basic home energy audit when COVID restrictions lift. For a comprehensive home energy assessment, paid services are listed here

·       If you haven’t already looked into solar PV, investigate this while there are excellent government rebates available. Did you know 32% of Malmsbury/ Drummond North homes currently have solar PV installed?

·       Installing real-time energy monitoring to investigate your biggest energy wasting appliances and see when you could be making better use of the energy from your solar PV. Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group have partnered with Wattwatchers to provide comprehensive real-time energy monitors for the cost of installation only, thanks to an Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) grant. More information here

Congratulations Malmsbury Primary! Keep up the good work!