We need help researching - School Coal Boiler Conversion

We need help researching - School Coal Boiler Conversion

We need help researching - School Coal Boiler Conversion
350 Aotearoa

Estimated Time: 10 - 15 Hours Over 1 - 3 Weeks

Kia ora, Our group is working on the decarbonisation of the state sector, with a specific project focus on the conversion of coal boilers in schools. Earlier this year the government announced $200 million for the decarbonisation of the state sector. In September, the government announced 18 schools to be prioritised for conversion - at a total cost of $50 million. We think $2.7M per school is pretty steep and we want to understand whether this is an accurate estimate.

Working location

You will need your own internet access and computer.

Proposed project steps with time estimates

The current estimate is that there are still 190 schools burning coal, with some even burning lignite, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. These schools are concentrated in regions that have poor air quality and a range of respiratory health issues. COVID-19 research has vividly shown the correlation between poor air quality and serious illness or death from respiratory disease.

Burning coal is the single biggest source of carbon dioxide from human activity. It contributes to air and water pollution but its most serious global impact is climate change

For many of these schools, the best solution is biomass boilers, which burn wood pellets. These have a small carbon profile about sixty times less than coal.

The task involves finding out the pupil numbers of the 18 schools in the announcement. This can be done using Education Review Office reports – they have the recent numbers of pupils at the end of each summary. You can then use that to get an estimate of each school's size, in turn giving a rough estimate for boiler sizing.

This will be more accurate for primary schools as they are relatively similar in total size to pupil ratio. Assuming 25 students per class to be conservative and 78m2 per classroom size plus 10% for admin library etc you can get a rough idea of the school size. We can provide information on rough costings for school size once you have done that work.


What We Have In Place

A supportive coalition of organisations keen to see schools become fossil free! Organisations involved include 350 Aotearoa, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, School Strike for Climate, NZEI Te Riu Roa and a range of individuals concerned to see practical progress on emissions reductions in Aotearoa.


350 Aotearoa
New Zealand wide
Mission
Our mission is to strengthen and grow climate action in communities across New Zealand.
What we Do
We coordinate local campaigns by providing education, practical tools, and support for community leadership. Our campaigns challenge the cultural acceptance of fossil fuels, and push New Zealand and the rest of the world back on track to 350ppm and, consequentially, climate safety (350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in “Parts Per Million” in our atmosphere. 350 PPM).