Irish Minister for Education, Helen McEntee TD, has this week announced the launch of the second phase of the REPowerEU Energy Inventory Profile Survey to establish a national energy profile of all schools.

The survey of all primary and post-primary schools marks a key step on the School Sector Technical Climate Action Roadmap, as the Department of Education works to contribute towards reaching 2030 and 2050 climate targets.

The process involves energy assessors gathering focused information on energy use, building types, age, and size, along with an overview of general fabric and energy aspects of electrical and mechanical systems in approximately 3,300 schools.

It will support endeavours to make Ireland’s school sector carbon-free and more energy efficient.

McEntee said: “On this, St. Patrick’s Day, I am pleased to say that our schools across the country are thinking green and going green as they are set to contribute to this second phase of the REPower EU Energy Inventory Profile Survey, which will help to generate a national energy profile of all schools.

“As we work together towards reaching significant 2030 and 2050 climate targets, my department is committed to playing its part as we decarbonise the school sector.

“To support this, a pilot phase of the energy inventory profile was completed across all schools in five counties with funding from the European Investment Bank.

“Today, I am pleased to announce the commencement of the second, and final, phase of the profile for schools in remaining counties, following the securing of funding from REPowerEU.

“By completing this energy inventory profile, nearly 4,000 schools will be supported to establish the energy base line of their school estate and identify and target both decarbonisation and opportunities for investment in their energy efficiency.

“The profile will, in turn, be critical to helping department officials make strategic decisions on priorities for future capital investment in our schools.

“All schools included in the first tranche of this phase of the profile survey have now been contacted, with schools in counties Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Galway, and Mayo set to be surveyed shortly.

“The second tranche of surveys will follow in the coming months and includes schools in counties Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, Sligo, Roscommon, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath, Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Waterford, Kilkenny, Laois, and Carlow.

“I encourage all schools to take part in the survey when contacted. It will help them maximise the opportunity to help decarbonise our sector, make our schools more energy efficient, and support our environment for pupils and students both of today and of generations to come.”

She added that the innovative approach of bringing energy and condition data together in the one survey database has significant potential to assist with future prioritisation of decarbonisation and investments in the school estate, enabling identification and targeted development of future school sector energy and decarbonisation programmes that will reduce overall reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy.

The department has appointed a framework of eight surveying companies to complete the inventory.

Under the initiative, each school will be surveyed by an experienced construction professional using a new survey tool developed by the Department of Education.

Up to 160 pieces of data will be collected at each school, including high-level building areas and types of different fabric elements and information about lighting, heating, and domestic hot water.

This data is entered on a tablet computer onsite, imported into the department’s Geographical Information System (GIS), then processed into a relational database which performs the required technical calculations to determine a School Energy and Carbon Estimated Rating (SEACER), which is a bespoke rating developed specifically for the school sector by the Department of Education.

A pilot phase of the Schools Energy Inventory project was completed with support from the European Investment Bank Advisory Hub programme.

This came to an end in December 2022 and included 562 schools across five Counties, Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Wexford, and Wicklow.