OKEHAMPTON College has been shortlisted for a prize in a competition being run by Marks and Spencer Energy Fund.

If the college wins this prize it will provide the funding for further energy saving measures to be taken within the college’s facilities, with LED lights being at the top of the list.

Over recent years Okehampton College has made huge efforts to reduce fossil fuel derived energy consumption through efficiency measures, people engagement and renewable energy systems.

Since embarking upon this agenda the college’s import of electricity and gas have both fallen by around 70% and has helped numerous other schools and organisations with ideas to monitor and control energy use and reduce waste.

Okehampton College has installed better heating controls, systems to monitor wasted energy, more efficient lighting, double glazing, additonal insulation, solar panels, biomass heating and a wind turbine.

A college spokesperson said: ‘We are able to generate, on site, a significant proportion of the energy we need and it makes sense to use it as efficiently as we can.’

The current affordability of LED lighting products means that the college now presents a very viable way to further reduce energy demand and at the same time improve lighting levels using less electricity.

Student teams have been helping after school by checking rooms, engaging staff and asking them to pledge to do the basic things to save energy. Energy costs could — and used to — reach almost £1,000 on a bad day.

To vote for Okehampton College to win the competition visit the website https://www.mandsenergyfund.com/projects/okehampton-college-1