Promoting energy efficiency in an eco-school environment

Abstract

In the past decades, the concept of sustainable development (SD) came into focus and has increasingly gained attention at all levels. Environmental education programs are seen as instrumental in promoting SD, since the preservation of the environment depends on ecological awareness, which depends on education. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a central role in education for sustainable development (ESD) since they provide the knowledge and skills for students to implement sustainable solutions. Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (IPVC) is a Portuguese HEI eco-school, which promotes, among its community, the search for ideas for sustainable practices. This study aims to demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of ESD at IPVC, through the presentation of two projects developed by students, which intend to improve the energy efficiency in the institution. In the first project, a piezoelectric energy collection system was developed, taking advantage of the movement of people to produce energy. In the second project, a remotely controlled low-cost device was developed, to monitor and control the electrical networks of the school buildings. Despite the need for advanced engineering to optimize performance, first experiments showed very satisfactory results. Both projects are imbued with the spirit of SD and confirm the central role of HEIs in ESD and its practical effectiveness at IPVC.