Energy consumption baseline for public schools in the West Bank-Palestine

Abstract

Schools play a significant role in social development which is one of the three major pillars of sustainable development. Schools are also a hub to promote sustainable practices, and hence, it is imperative to measure the actual energy performance of school buildings. This research was designed to quantify the actual energy consumption in public school buildings in the West Bank in Palestine to establish a baseline for energy consumption in public school buildings. Methodologically, the historical energy performance of a representative random sample consisting of 103 schools in the West Bank was statistically analysed. The results show that the average annual energy consumption in public school buildings is 10,368 kilowatt-hour (kWh), while the annual energy use intensity is around 8.35 kWh/m2/year, and 35.44 kWh/student/year. The results presented in this research are not surprisingly low due to the fact that energy consumption in school buildings is heavily determined by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems which often do not exist in public school buildings in the West Bank. This research is the first to provide empirical statistical evidence about the actual amount of energy consumed in public school buildings in the West Bank, as well as it is the first to present a baseline energy consumption for public schools. The results presented in this research can be used as an industry benchmark by policy and decision-makers to assess green schools’ performance which, besides reducing the negative impacts on the environment, have the potential to improve health, productivity and, education environment.