BIOM's experience: a long-term investment in the future
The success of energy-saving events is impossible without the widespread dissemination of information about energy savings among the general population. To date, successful examples are known of how such information helps improve the physical school environment. At school-lyceum No. 2 named after Baranov, located in the village of Novo-Pokrovka in the Issyk-Ata district of the Chui region, within the framework of the Project “Energy Saving for a Stable Future” of the SPARE “Clean Energy” Program, as a result of the energy-saving measures carried out, it has become much warmer, brighter, and therefore more comfortable. According to the coordinator of ED “BIOM,” Natalia Bogatova, in two pilot classes, the windows have been replaced with energy-efficient ones, and in four rooms (the sewing workshop, physics and chemistry classrooms, the director’s office), energy-efficient lighting has been installed; a presence sensor has been installed in the sewing workshop.
BIOM has also helped the school make heating more efficient. Previously, the second floor was practically not heated, with the indoor temperature reaching +11 degrees Celsius. The heating scheme was also improved, the location of the heating network was determined, and the heating supply system plan was restored. The existing heating network has been rehabilitated, and the school administration received recommendations for its energy efficiency. According to the director of the school-lyceum, F.A. Nizamutdinova, after these improvements from “BIOM,” the school began to think – will it continue to live as it does, or is it time to care for the future and start changing the situation in the context of sustainable development principles? It is said that those who know more will not settle for less.
“The pilot classrooms of the ED “BIOM” project have become so comfortable that neither students nor teachers want to study in the old cold, dark, and unventilated classrooms,” said chemistry teacher Bermet Esenkhanovna Toktoeva. “But to change our school living environment for the better, we first need to think about it, as everything starts with a thought,” says director Farida Akhmetovna. “Considering that most parents, though concerned about the school’s aspirations, are still poorly informed about how to make this environment compliant, the administration has taken up the promotion of energy-saving ideas among parents. Since we have thought about it ourselves and have already started inviting members of the parent committee to demonstrate the pilot classes, it means that the experience of BIOM has not been in vain.” A parent of two school students, a high school student and a primary school student, Oksana Dimitrova says: “Parents give money to the school for curtains, ceiling lights, and other needs, without thinking about whether these particular blinds or lights are really needed. Perhaps with the same amount, they can purchase energy-saving and more useful items for the school.” Parent Nadir Abdukalykova is also thinking differently now, in terms of energy saving and energy efficiency for the school. “It is now winter, but the Board of Trustees has already begun activities to raise funds for summer repairs to the school. Since funds are being accumulated for the better life of our children anyway, why not take into account the recommendations of specialists on how to make such life reasonable? For instance, it is urgently needed to replace the lighting in classroom No. 10 – it is dark, cornered, and uncomfortable. One could buy magnificent ceiling chandeliers, curtains, or trendy blinds, which would further darken the classroom. Or one could purchase and install lighting sources with regard to consumption norms and energy saving.” By the way, according to ED “BIOM” coordinator Mikhail Yakovlev’s calculations, this classroom needs nine modern fixtures, each costing about 1000 soms today. So parents already have useful information. “This is the principle of co-financing for the school: “BIOM” provides the school with calculations, and the school independently carries out the installation work,” says ED “BIOM” coordinator Natalia Bogatova. “By the way, we ourselves bear the costs for the designer’s work. Each calculation costs 1000 soms.” On January 19, the coordinators of the “Energy Saving for a Stable Future” Project visited the Novo-Pokrovka secondary school to monitor the current state of temperature and humidity in the pilot classrooms. They brought with them electrician Ravil Sharafutdinov, who provided technical-expert support, replacing burnt-out fixtures with new ones. Director F.A. Nizamutdinova summarized all the earlier achievements thanks to implementing BIOM’s experience. “All great deeds in the world started with someone laying the first brick of future construction. For us, this was the Ecological Movement “BIOM.” Now we have moved further. Thus, BIOM members conducted calculations for standard lighting in classrooms on the first floor from No. 10 to No. 17 – based on these standards, we have already started dismantling outdated lighting and installing ceiling energy-saving fixtures. Also, since July, we began replacing dried-out wooden window frames with hermetic plastic ones. To date, the school has completed the installation of double-glazed windows in five primary school classrooms and three high school classrooms. The installation of 15 plastic windows in the corridor of the main building’s first floor has been completed. We have also created a vestibule in the junior school by dividing part of the spacious hall with a plastic partition: a kind of thermal barrier against cold air flow from outside has been created. Now it has become much warmer on the first floor of the primary school than it was last winter. All these works have cost the school a substantial amount: about 300 thousand soms – window replacement in high school + 200 thousand soms in primary school, 65 thousand soms – creating the vestibule.” “We have also completely repaired the school boiler house thanks to the restoration of the lost drawings of the heating system and heating network. A dirt trap and more powerful motors on the pump have been installed in the boiler house,” continues school handyman Ernest Bazarbaev. The road will be conquered by the one who walks. But for this, finances also need to be “conquered.” In the specific case of Novo-Pokrovka school-lyceum, they managed to gather funds by providing additional educational services, that is, from the amount of paid lessons, 3% is immediately allocated for development. The amount amounted to 113 thousand soms. By the way, according to the director, the system of “per capita funding” does not work in the school: in the school, there are 1500 students, and 97 soms is allocated per each. In total, it results in 145,500 soms. From the republican budget, only 78,600 soms has been allocated, and no more money is available. The Ayil Okmotu has also not remained indifferent, promising to allocate 321 thousand soms to the school for the boiler house renovation. However, so far, of this amount, the school has not received 122 thousand soms because since last year, Logvinenkovsky AO has become a subsidized one. The reason is the closure of two enterprises: the oil depot “SPK Vostok” and the sand quarry “Spektr.” However, the AO still promises to pay off its debt to the school. Now the school is considering how to dispose of burnt-out energy-saving lamps. “In Kazakhstan, recycling points have already been opened, but we still don’t have them,” says Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees Nina Plyusch. “We will have to consult BIOM again.”
