ComputerXplorers has teamed up with the LEAP project to provide Renfrewshire primary school children with information about how energy is produced and the importance of saving it.

This information will be provided through three one-day workshops, which will be run by ComputerXplorers and funded by LEAP.

Every child from year four to seven at Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch schools will take part in the 90 minute workshops. Pupils will use the specialist Lego to generate electricity and then carry out tests to see for themselves how energy is used and the monetary and environmental cost of wasting it.

After the workshop each child will use their energy detective skills to find ways to save energy in their homes and will be offered a free home energy check worth £45 from LEAP.

LEAP, the Local Energy Action Plan, was set up in 2010 to help residents in the communities of Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch save energy and money and provide free impartial advice on insulation, draught proofing, heating, renewables, grants and subsidies. Carol Gemmell, Project Manager, said: “We’ve worked closely with ComputerXplorers to develop the workshop content which we hope will really get the children and their parents engaged on the subject of how to converse energy and save money.”

ComputerXplorers franchise owner John McGill recently delivered a series of highly successful workshops to schools in Aberdeen on renewable energy. He said: “Children really enjoy the fun and excitement of working with the Lego eLab kits to generate their own power. Being able to switch on a light or computer is something we all take for granted, and the Energy Detective workshops have been designed to help children begin to realise the environmental impact and monetary cost of energy use in their day to day lives.”

Published: 20 December 2011

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