Case Study: Saving Costs by Boosting Energy Efficiency at a School

Client

A primary school was experiencing high heating costs and energy waste due to a fixed heating schedule and lack of room-by-room temperature control. A smart, cost-effective solution was implemented to drastically improve energy performance.

Challenges

A school’s outdated and inflexible heating system used a gas boiler to heat the entire building from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., four days a week, regardless of room occupancy. This resulted in heating unoccupied spaces such as hallways, restrooms, and the cafeteria. The school needed a smarter, responsive heating solution to cut energy waste without requiring a full infrastructure overhaul.

Solution

LoRaWAN® Smart Radiator Thermostats were installed in 117 rooms, connected to the building management system. These thermostats allowed room-by-room temperature control based on real-time occupancy. A heating regime was set to maintain 20°C in occupied rooms and drop to 16°C when unoccupied. Installation was completed in under 24 hours, with no need for professional installers, and the system laid the foundation for improved energy reporting and long-term sustainability.

Results

Energy consumption dropped by 31% from December 2022 to February 2023, with a 57% reduction in December alone. Heating energy usage per unified heating degree day decreased from 196.65 kWh (2021–2022) to just 134.65 kWh (2022–2023).

The school has already achieved significant savings and continues to see energy use decline, with 2023–2024 results under review.

Key Takeaways