​Locality: Finsbury Park, Hackney
Asset owner: Parkwood Primary School
Energy saved: 10.7 tonnes CO2e per annum
Money saved: ~ £10k per annum
Tech used:
  • Solar panels
  • Building management system
In 2023, we began work with Parkwood Primary School in Hackney to install solar PV and a building management system to reduce their energy usage and generate their own electricity, reducing reliance on the grid.

Collaborators and funders

This project is a collaboration between CREW Energy and Sustainable Hackney – who provide vital local knowledge of the borough and outreach to the local community. The project was two-thirds funded by the Hackney Community Fund (managed by Hackney Light and Power).

Technology used

  • Building management system (BMS)
The BMS gives the schools granular control of their heating system, saving 25,000 kWh of gas consumption and improving local air quality through lower gas flue emissions. It allows the school to only heat rooms when they are being used, rather than heating classrooms until 7pm when they are empty at 3pm. Equally communal spaces that are used for 3 hours per day no longer need to be heated for 12.

Weather compensation will allow the school to only start heating in the morning when necessary and turn down the heating in the afternoon. We noted that windows were being opened to cool down offices and classrooms. Thanks to localised thermostats, once classrooms reach the required temperature, their radiators will automatically shut down. This will, in turn, allow the colder rooms to get to their required temperature faster.

  • Solar PV system
The array of solar panels on the school's roof will provide the bulk of the school’s electricity supply for most of the year, greatly reducing the school’s need for electricity from the grid. There is the potential for the school to use them to generate income on high generation days, weekends and holidays.

Additional benefits

The school and CREW will be investigating the option of setting up an Energy Local Club to sell discounted energy to the local community from the solar array.
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CREW Energy will run an energy advice workshop for parents and staff, offering support around:
  • Behavioural change and its impact on energy consumption.
  • Helping families understand the grants and discounts that they may be entitled to, such as Water Help and Water Sure.
  • The value of investing in low-cost energy efficiency measures such as LEDs and smart radiator valves.

About Parkwood Primary School

Parkwood is a small primary school located in the bustling heart of London's Finsbury Park. They have a diverse community of pupils, staff, parents and volunteers, representing more than 30 nationalities and languages. ​They love to share creativity, academic success and sporting talent with the whole community and are especially proud to have the accreditation of Spanish International School from the Spanish Embassy.
"Working with CREW, as part of the grants with Hackney Light and Power, to install solar panels at Parkwood Primary School was a seamless experience. The team provided excellent support from start to finish, making the process easy and efficient. Their ongoing engagement with our school community, including follow-up work with parents and pupils, has been invaluable in promoting sustainability and environmental awareness."

Paul Thomas, Head at Parkwood Primary School