Braemar College

Students in year 9 at Braemar College had reached the finals of the Macquarie Bank Future Problem Solving Program and had chosen as their focus "why people aren't doing anything to prevent global warming". They wrote to the centre and requested information on SLIVER cells, CHAPS systems and Solarisation.

After writing back to them and sending documentary information Centre Manager, Ray Prowse, was invited to travel down to Braemar College, which is on the western slopes of Mt Macedon, north west of Melbourne.

Ray presented information to the year 11 environmental Science class which was about to start the topic of renewable energy and then met the group of year 9 students who had entered the Macquarie Bank contest. After spending a couple of hours with these students a few Braemar College staff, the students walked with Ray around the school to do an energy audit of the buildings. Some of the buildings are very old but, because they are heritage listed, little can be done to improve their efficiency. Perhaps the best approach would be to seal up gaps and cracks and to add insulation to the walls and ceilings where possible. The main issue in the newer buildings seemed to be lighting control systems. Many lights were left on unnecessarily and smart lighting systems involving timers and sensors were suggested.

At the end of the day the students presented Ray with a cheque made out to the Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems for $500 being the proceeds from the sale of compact fluorescent light globes, in appreciation of CSES' efforts to deliver the outreach activities to the College.

The assistance must have been of some use because Braemar College went on to win the national title in the Macquarie Bank contest and have now been selected to represent Australia in Colorado in 2007.