Race to Zero is Zero Emissions Noosa’s school-based behaviour change program.  The energy efficiency education program utilises www.solarschools.net supported by real time data from each individual school meter. Each school has a dedicated page of the website on which its real time data is graphed and displayed for use in the curriculum. The data and associated education resources are fully aligned to the Australian Curriculum allowing students to explore, hypothesise and act on their own energy use. As part of this ZEN program, students will learn how to conduct energy audits and set reduction targets as they Race to Zero Emissions.

Schools are one of our region’s largest energy consumers! Reducing energy use in schools not only reduces energy bills, it sets a tone of behavioral change which is based on the reduction in wasteful behaviours. By providing energy efficiency education to our next generation of energy consumers we hope to engender their understanding of the impacts of low emissions living.

Thanks to Noosa Council funding and in conjunction with the Department of Education, Race to Zero invites Noosa schools to join the program. The program will not only provide your school with access to real time energy data linked directly to the energy curriculum. Zero Emissions Noosa will also provide full curriculum education support through a dedicated ZEN Project Officer. The officer will come to your school, conduct staff or student training and support your use of the data in the classroom.

Register today to ensure your school is online with real time data during this last term of 2019 so you can see how much energy you use over the holiday period, it will also show you how much energy you have generated from solar over the peak summer period. Compare this with your energy consumption when school resumes in 2020. ZEN will show you how to utilise this data in your math’s and science classrooms the real-life hypothesis potential is limitless!

Register your interest at info@zeroemissionsnoosa.com.au

Race to Zero Benefits for Education

• Maximise teaching outcomes
  Comprehensive unit plans, lesson plans and student resources enhance the quality of lessons, while teaching becomes more time and resource efficient.
• Encouraging pathways for further discovery
  Students can broaden and deepen their understanding of themselves and how their actions influence the world around them.
• Inspire students to learn and problem solve
  Students seek to apply real-world knowledge, understanding the value and relevance of what they are learning.
• Promote student success
  Applying concepts in different ways provides an alternate pathway to student learning, creating a strong sense of achievement.
• Build professional connections
  Teachers develop a deeper appreciation of each other’s expertise, enriching lessons and learning opportunities for students.

Watch this short video of how St Thomas More has integrated the Solar Schools program into their classroom activity, these small actions at a grassroots level are world changing.

While all Queensland Government State Schools are already connected to the www.solarschools.net service, access to real time energy data will only be available to participating Race to Zero schools.