If a school wants to reduce energy costs without making life difficult for staff and pupils, the best order is simple: understand your usage, tighten up controls and routines then upgrade high impact electrical loads like lighting. The Department for Education guidance sets out the same approach and highlights that replacing inefficient lighting with LED plus sensors can reduce lighting energy use by over 84%.
Across London, the sites that see the fastest improvement are not always the newest ones. They are the ones that stop leaking energy through small habits and dated lighting layouts.
This guide is written for caretakers, site managers, estates teams, local authorities and employers who want practical steps that can be planned around the school day.
1) Start with the numbers, not the guesswork
Before any changes are made, get a basic picture of what the site is doing.
DfE energy efficiency guidance for the school and FE estate recommends understanding usage and carrying out an audit so you can target where to save energy then build a plan around it.
A simple way to do this without extra admin
Pull your last 12 months of electricity bills
Note the highest months and the lowest months
If you have half hourly data, look at your overnight baseload and weekend baseload
Walk the building at the end of the day and again early morning to see what is still running
That baseload is where quick savings often sit, especially on sites with lots of ICT, chargers and out of hours lettings.
2) Use the controls you already have properly
A lot of schools have time clocks, zoning controls or building management settings that were never fine tuned after refurb works.
DfE’s top tips guide for schools notes that using existing heating or lighting controls effectively can reduce energy wastage, save money and reduce emissions by up to 40%.
Where we see waste most often
Lighting left on in corridors and halls long after the building empties
Heating and ventilation running for areas that are not occupied
Timers that do not match real opening times and lettings times
Controls overridden and never put back
The fastest win is usually a short “controls reset” so schedules match reality. It is not glamorous but it is effective.
3) Fix lighting first when budgets are tight
Lighting upgrades are one of the most reliable returns on education sites because the usage is predictable.
DfE guidance states that replacing inefficient lights such as fluorescent lights with LED lighting alongside movement and daylight sensors can reduce energy consumption from lighting by over 84%.
The DfE “Get help buying for schools” category also highlights LED benefits such as reduced electricity use and longer lasting lamps which reduces replacement frequency and maintenance costs.
The areas that usually pay back quickest
Corridors and stairwells that are lit for long periods
Toilets and changing areas where occupancy sensors work well
Classrooms with daylight that benefit from dimming or daylight sensing
Halls and dining spaces with a clear on off schedule
If you are planning lighting upgrades on your estate, this usually links naturally to Electrical Installation because it is not just the fittings. It is the layout, the switching and the controls that drive results.
4) Reduce “hidden” plug load and charging sprawl
Schools now carry a lot of small electrical load that adds up: laptop chargers, tablet trolleys, smartboards, printers and network equipment.
This is where a site walk makes the difference. If a room has three multiway extensions feeding chargers all day, the electricity use is real and the wear on accessories is real too.
Simple site rules that work well
Set charging windows for trolleys where possible
Avoid leaving chargers plugged in when not needed
Stop multiways becoming permanent by adding the right fixed outlets in the right places
Keep IT kit grouped and labelled so it is easier to manage and audit
This also has a safety side, which is why many schools keep energy work aligned with compliance work via Electrical Statutory Compliance.
5) Do not forget the building fabric and moisture issues
Even when the focus is electrical, the building still matters. Damp plant rooms, water ingress near risers or ceiling leaks above corridors can cause repeat faults and wasted energy.
DfE’s wider estate guidance covers practical measures across heating, hot water, lighting, technology and equipment.
A useful approach is to treat leaks as urgent. Not because of comfort alone but because electrics and moisture never mix well.
6) Build a plan that fits term time and holidays
Most schools want improvements with minimal disruption. That is realistic, if you batch it.
A calm approach usually looks like this:
Term time: controls tidy up and small lighting changes in low impact areas
Half term: corridor and stairwell lighting upgrades where access is straightforward
Summer holiday: larger block upgrades, distribution changes and any wider refurbishment works
This is also where it helps to join up energy upgrades with testing. If you have changed circuits or boards or lighting layouts, it is worth keeping your documentation and inspection schedule tidy so nothing is missed.
7) A quick checklist for site managers and estates teams
If you want a practical starting point for a London school site, this checklist works well:
This week
Check what is running overnight and at weekends
Match lighting schedules to actual opening times
Identify one corridor or stairwell where lighting is on longest
This term
Review controls and zoning
Plan LED upgrades where they will run the most
Reduce extension lead sprawl in ICT and charging areas
This year
Use the DfE approach: audit, plan and implement then monitor results
Prioritise LED plus sensors where appropriate
Keep records aligned with your broader compliance programme
More support for education sites
If your school, trust or local authority team wants a joined up plan for energy savings that also keeps installations safe and well documented, more information can be found on Electrical Services for Schools and Education.
If you already know the areas you want to improve, for example corridor lighting upgrades, controls review or a phased LED rollout, you can request a quote via Contact Us.