About

Welcome

Welcome to our website, designed to support schools to reduce energy usage and associated costs.

ECO2 Smart Schools started as The School Carbon Reduction Programme (SCRP). SCRP was developed as a pilot programme for County Durham Schools in 2010, as a response to the local authority carbon management plan. The plan identified that school buildings were responsible for 54% of the carbon emissions coming from the local authority estate.

The SCRP pilot was very successful, reducing 60 school’s energy use, so it was integrated into Durham County Council’s Energy Management Service Level Agreement (SLA). Hence, as well receiving billing advice and guidance, all schools on the SLA were offered in school support to reduce their energy use and increase their awareness and understanding of energy and climate related issues.

Since 2013 the in-school element has been commissioned through an open tendering process. OASES won the first tender and has been successful ever since by providing consistently high quality and responsive support for schools across County Durham.

ECO2 Smart Schools currently works with over 240 schools in County Durham. Since 2010, these schools have collectively saved nearly £7.5 million, resulting in almost 20,000 tonnes of CO2 being saved.

Interreg REBUS Programme
The partners from the Interreg Europe REBUS Programme at the launch event.
ECO2 Smart School Competition Winner
The draft designs held by Sophie and Lucy with Cllr John Lethbridge standing in front of the final designs.

Refresh And Rebrand

After 8 successful years we wanted County Durham schools to help us refresh and rebrand the SCRP project, so we asked pupils to come up with a new name and logo for the programme.

The result was ECO2 Smart Schools which was an amalgamation of two designs from two pupils:

  • Sophie Evans from Coxhoe Primary
  • Lucy Nattrass from Wearhead Primary

The new name and logo were officially unveiled by the Chairman of Durham County Council, Councillor John Lethbridge, at an Interreg Europe Event hosted by Durham in September 2018.

ECO2 Smart Schools Team

OASES

Joanne Appleby

Joanne Appleby

CEO

Joanne is the Chief Executive Officer of OASES. She supports, manages and monitors the ECO2 Smart Schools Programme.

Alice Evans

Projects and programmes Manager

Alice manages the staff team and supports ECO2 Smart Schools Programme.

Hannah Fishburn

Hannah Fishburn

COMMUNICATIONS LEAD

Hannah manages the ECO2 Smart Schools communications, including the monthly newsletter and social media.

Josh Radner

Energy officer

Josh is an OASES Energy Officer who can work with your school to make energy and costs savings and deliver energy and sustainability education sessions.

Hannah Turner

Energy officer

Hannah is an OASES Energy Officer who can work with your school to make energy and costs savings and deliver energy and sustainability education sessions.

Rachel Moore

energy officer

Rachel is an OASES Energy Officer who can work with your school to make energy and costs savings and deliver energy and sustainability education sessions.

Grace Johnson

energy officer

Grace is an OASES Energy Officer who can work with your school to make energy and costs savings and deliver energy and sustainability education sessions.

Dyfan Roberts

ENERGY OFFICER

Dyfan is an OASES Energy Officer who can work with your school to make energy and costs savings and deliver energy and sustainability education sessions. 

Steven Dixon

ENergy officer

Steven is an OASES Energy Officer who can work with your school to make energy and costs savings and deliver sustainability education sessions.

Enxi Wu

Office Manager and designer

Enxi is the OASES Office Manager and Designer. She will answer your call and direct you to your school’s OASES Energy Officer.

Durham County Council

Stephen McDonald

Net zero manager

Stephen is the Net Zero Manager with overall responsibility for delivery of the Service Level Agreement.

Stephen Beresford

Stephen Beresford

Senior carbon management officer

Stephen is part of the Carbon Team who work to reduce the carbon footprint of Durham County Council, including schools. He monitors your gas, electricity and other fuel use and finds ways to reduce it.

Rich Hurst

Rich
Hurst

Consultant

Rich is the Durham County Council Lead for ECO2 Smart Schools and Education Advisor for Sustainability Education.

Malcolm Johnson

Senior carbon and energy officer

Malcolm supports the development of low carbon retrofit projects in schools and council buildings.

Louise Austin

Senior Carbon and energy officer

Louise supports the development of low carbon retrofit projects in schools and council buildings.

Julie Curry

Julie Curry

Energy team

Julie is part of the Energy Team who ensure that your utility consumption data is correctly gathered. She can help you with any issues surrounding meters, billing and leaks.

Stephen Beresford

Paul Charlton

Energy team

Paul is part of the Energy Team who ensure that your utility consumption data is correctly gathered. He can help you with any issues surrounding meters, billing and leaks.

Helen Bonner

Energy Team

Helen is part of the Energy Team who ensure that your utility consumption data is correctly gathered. She can help you with any issues surrounding meters, billing and leaks.

Paul Franks

Paul Franks

Energy Team

Paul is part of the Energy Team who ensure that your utility consumption data is correctly gathered. He can help you with any issues surrounding meters, billing and leaks.

Educational

We help you create practical and engaging learning experiences exploring energy, climate change and the environment throughout the curriculum.

Savings

Through our support and expertise we help schools to make significant savings through practical changes and implementation of the programme.

Environmental

Resources for the whole school community to learn more about the environment and how to make positive changes to safeguard it for the future for all.