Northern Ireland Schools Advised to Cut Energy Use Amid Rising Costs

Based on reporting by BBC UK:

The Education Authority (EA) has instructed schools across Northern Ireland to reduce the use of heating and lighting wherever feasible to help control energy expenditures. Furthermore, both staff and students have been advised to wear more layers when it is cold to lessen the need for heating.

The EA has indicated that school gas and electricity bills are projected to increase by approximately £8 million by March 2027. The EA has communicated with school heads to warn them about the impact of rising costs on school energy bills.

One of the contributing factors cited for the rise in energy costs is the US-Israel war with Iran. The EA's correspondence to head teachers stated that recent geopolitical events were anticipated to significantly affect energy costs across the Education Authority (EA) during the 2026/27 financial year.

Specifically, the total school gas bills were expected to rise by 60%, moving from £10.7m to £17m by March 2027. Concurrently, total school electricity bills were forecast to increase by 5%, rising from £23.8m to £25.1m by March 2027.

In response to the projected cost escalations, the EA requested that all schools examine their energy consumption and identify opportunities to decrease usage. Suggested measures from the authority included reducing heating use by one hour daily and utilizing natural daylight by switching off classroom lights.

However, principals have informed BBC News NI that reducing heating costs is not simple for schools. Kirsty Logan-Hall, the principal of Tullygally Primary School in Craigavon, stated that while the school is dedicated to promoting responsible energy use, its capacity for substantial energy reduction is limited by the nature of its property. She explained that the school operates from an older building that presents inherent energy efficiency issues, and its site is spread out due to the needs of its specialist provision, which requires heating, lighting, and the use of multiple areas throughout the school day to maintain appropriate learning environments, accessibility, and pupil welfare. Logan-Hall noted that there is limited scope to cut energy consumption without negatively affecting the quality of provision, staff working conditions, or the well-being of pupils, including those with additional needs.

Meanwhile, Claire Robinson, the principal of Holy Evangelists Primary School in Dunmurry, commented that energy costs were severe. She stated that they could not compromise on heating, as parts of the school are relatively new and feature underfloor heating, meaning classrooms cannot fall below a certain temperature and the heating must remain on. Robinson added that even though the school was relatively new, it had been assigned an energy efficiency rating of D because of the expenses associated with running the heating system.