Solar potential of schools

Schools are a focal point of a community and the efficient running of their buildings, including energy efficiency, is paramount not only to be able to operate economically but also to remain in operation even in the event of a power outage or other hazard. This article describes a study carried out by the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland to audit the energy used by Remuera Intermediate School and review the potential of photovoltaics (PVs) to allow the School to be more autonomous in its energy supply and to have the potential to feed electricity into the grid at times when it has surplus