Website: www.curbain.be/fee
Presented at:
European Conference on Local Energy Action:
Optimising local action to drive sustainable energy and transport in the Europe of Twenty-Five
20-21 October 2004, Brussels, Belgium
Slides (1454 KB PDF)
| Proceedings and Recordings
Presented at:
ManagEnergy Workshop and Study Tours on Local & Regional Energy
Action through Schools & Education
26-27 January 2004, Nottingham, UK
Proceedings and Video Recordings
Presented at:
Symposium Energy Education: role, actors and tools. European experiences
12 March 2004, Brussels, Belgium
Video Recordings
Eddy Deruwe, Director, ABEA - Brussels Energy Center, Belgium
Summary
The FEE-project is an educational project conducted by 9 regional energy advice centres, supported by the ALTENER programme in 8 European countries. It aims at an educational approach in schools to obtain consciousness and results about Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and Rational Use of Energy (RUE). Children of 10 to 14 years old set up an interactive exhibition about RUE and RES, stimulating their awareness on energy issues. The project has a neighbourhood/regional bounding and an international approach.
Results
One of the results of the project is that the pupils have learned about energy issues. They experienced how energy influences our daily lives. They observed their own energy consumption and searched a way to lower it and look for alternatives. They visualized what they learned, and communicated with their peers, families and neighbors. The pupils take their responsibility (refreshing, lighting) and call teachers to order.
The school has gained a lot of experience by working the whole year around one big item, the energy item. They worked project-based from theory to practical examples and visits. They valorized what they did in an energy event. Even the non-motivated pupils learned very well, school could be interesting, indeed.
Those families were also confronted by the fact that their children analyzed the family energy consumption. The children made it clear that there was a lot to enhance and that they know how to do it. Anyhow, a special newsletter and the energy event at the school explained and put emphasis on the situation.
Parents confirm that pupils save energy at home and urge their parents to do the same.
The involvement of the community can make a big difference. Because all children and parents were involved. Sometimes it became a topic of talk of the town.
The residents in the chosen area could see it as a first step to a better consciousness of RUE and RES. It could bring more dynamism between schools and population. It could start activities of citizens around Local agenda 21 or sustain the energy saving programs (and info centers).
Even though the project succeeded in his educational targets, the way to improve the energy consumption in the community is still a long way to go. As said, the project has a lot of potential.
It's sure that the energy agencies have introduced and helped the schools to realize the project. The energy agencies have gained a lot of experience and tools that can be used for a lot of other educational activities. Those capacities are also the result of the collaboration between the different agencies by the exchange of best ideas. Anyhow, the collaboration between the regional advice centers in the field on education has only started.
We may say that the project was a big success. Many times our energy agencies were asked to continue their educational activities and to broaden to other schools. The project got also attention of a few national educational boards (especially Italy and Greece) or environmental institutions (Green apple award, UK). The experience is renewed in the framework of the "Genova European Capital of Culture". A large assessment of environmental education in PACA (France) will be organized by university and education researchers through a participative methodology on the basis of the Fee-project experience.
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Citizens
: Education
: Energy Efficiency
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