Samsung to extend its Energy in Schools initiative

The original three pilot schools are to be joined by a further 20 this year

Posted by Julian Owen | July 24, 2019 | Sustainability

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Samsung is to roll out its Energy In Schools scheme to an additional 20 schools around the UK.

The original pilot saw three schools – St Mary Redcliffe Primary in Bristol, Lancaster’s Ellel St John the Evangelist Church of England Primary and Lancaster Girls' Grammar – learning how the internet of things can be used to help reduce their institutions’ energy consumption and carbon footprint.

The initiative allows access to a energy management platform showing real-time energy usage, pricing and carbon emissions data, part of a collaboration between Samsung, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, My Utility Genius and Lancaster University.

The South Korean electronics giant was awarded Government funding to expand its educational work as part of a Smart Energy Management Innovation competition led by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

After the success of the pilot scheme, we are thrilled to further expand the programme, engaging more schools across the country

Pupils will be actively involved by taking part in coding lessons using the micro:bit, a pocket-sized codeable device originally developed in 2016 by the BBC, in collaboration with partners. These will be connected to the school’s Samsung SmartThings platform, enabling students to learn how to program and work on projects that collect and visualise their own sets of data. For example, monitoring and measuring classroom temperature to program a light bulb to turn green when too cold, or red when too hot.

“After the success of the pilot scheme, we are thrilled to further expand the programme, engaging more schools across the country,” said Teg Dosanjh, director of connected living at Samsung. “The initiative allows us to engage with more, young British talent to get them not only involved but excited about the potential that technology brings.”

Chris Skidmore, the interim minister of state for energy and clean growth, said: “This is a great example of the innovation we expect smart meters to bring, and we are delighted that funding from our Smart Energy Management Innovation competition is helping to extend the Energy in Schools pilot. The initiative is a fun, interactive way of engaging our young people to reduce their school’s energy consumption and save money as a step towards achieving our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”