How can primary schools be energy ambassadors for local neighbourhoods during complex and overwhelming energy transitions? This question was explored in research conducted by TU Delft. The research demonstrated that schools could inform and inspire children and their households about the energy transition in their local neighbourhoods through education. Inspired by these results, Erasmus Verbindt, Stichting TechnoTrend, Kinderfaculteit Pendrecht, and Kinderaanpak Aardgasvrij Pendrecht collaborated to explore this question in practice in Pendrecht, a neighbourhood in the south of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This blog, written by three students from Erasmus University Rotterdam who work with Erasmus Verbindt, shares insights into the initiative ‘Operation Sustainable Pendrecht’.
Building a Sustainable Future in Pendrecht
Students and elementary schools can provide a good foundation for initiating energy transitions in neighbourhoods, as found in a study by Delft University of Technology (de Caluwé et al. 2020). Raising awareness about these plans becomes essentials as more municipalities plan for sustainable energy, saving energy and transitioning away from gas Students and schools can play a crucial role: through sustainability projects, students learn why the transition is necessary and how it can be carried out. This education can then inspire parents and other local residents to become more involved in the transition and enthuse them to develop and implement initiatives in a co-creative setting.
Building on these results, Erasmus Verbindt, Stichting TechnoTrend, Kinderfaculteit Pendrecht, and Kinderaanpak Aardgasvrij Pendrecht organised a ‘project week’ on sustainable energy during the spring holidays in 2024. Pendrecht, a culturally diverse neighbourhood in the south of Rotterdam, which was working towards becoming natural gas-free, was an ideal location for the project. Throughout the week, children from several primary schools experimented with 'building' a sustainable neighbourhood of the future, aiming to excite them about sustainability and educate them about the energy transition.
Initiatives like ‘Operation Sustainable Pendrecht’ are valuable in the context of energy justice, as they can contribute to ensuring fair access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy for all while considering potential disparities, such as environmental impacts and the distribution of costs and benefits (Sovacool et al. 2016). By enhancing energy literacy through accessible initiatives like these, communities can better understand the energy transition and feel empowered to participate actively.
Unfolding Operation Sustainable Pendrecht
The project week was held at Kinderfaculteit Pendrecht, one of the project partners. Kinderfaculteit Pendrecht offers free after-school lessons on various topics, including art, cooking, technology, and the environment, to children from four primary schools.
During the spring break, the project offered a week full of activities focused on topics that are related to sustainability, especially energy. Each day, children worked on a model of their neighbourhood, exploring the layout of a ‘future Pendrecht’. Reflections from the children were gathered by asking them to write down their opinions and experiences on handmade hands, which they could hang on a handmade tree. This method stimulated the children’s thought processes without much influence.
The week was divided into different themes for each day, with three different activities available each day for the children to choose from:
- The focus of the first day was on planning and experiments. Children created the layout of the future neighbourhood, allocated space on the map, participated in a scavenger hunt through the neighbourhood, and worked in the 'experiment lab.'
- On the second day, the focus expanded to building the neighbourhood and spatial planning. The children could participate in a 'dilemma game' discussing sustainability through various statements. They also started ‘building the neighbourhood’ and designed their own square in Pendrecht through a collage.
- The third day focused on sustainable technology, and the children made their own windmills and solar houses. This day aimed to introduce children to the technology of different energy sources and show them how renewable energy can be generated. They also received a tour of the neighbourhood's “living room” to learn about gas-free living and insulation.
- Day four revolved around art and culture. Children expressed their thoughts on the environment through art and continued to work on the map of their neighbourhood. They also participated in a sustainable cooking class, introducing them to the change from gas to induction cooking.
- On the last day, an exhibition allowed the children to showcase their work to friends and family, involving the children’s households in the project and encouraging them to think about sustainability as well.
Continuing the Project’s Journey
Feedback was collected throughout the week via the handmade hands, conversations with the 48 children who attended, and observations of family turnout and enthusiasm during the exhibition. Overall, the feedback was positive with the children especially enjoying the crafting and building exercises.
The project organizers were also enthusiastic about the results and decided to develop the project further. They created a series of nine lessons currently being taught at Kinderfaculteit Pendrecht to twelve students. These lessons cover various aspects of sustainability, such as sustainable cooking (using seasonal products on induction), energy- and water-saving. Unlike the project week, these lessons are taught after school, which means that the children usually have less energy to focus and are more eager to just play and craft. Nevertheless, the children are enjoying the lessons. Given the positive response, the project organizers are exploring expanding the lessons to other locations within Rotterdam, especially in neighbourhoods that will be made gas-free in the coming years. By doing this, they hope to support the municipality in creating knowledge and awareness around sustainability in local areas.
Expanding Impact
Throughout the organization of Operation Sustainable Pendrecht, it was evident that educational institutions like Kinderfaculteit Pendrecht can substantially impact educating and inspiring children and their communities about sustainability. While there is growing emphasis on sustainability in regular educational programs, dedicated initiatives focusing on the energy transition, like the project week and subsequent lessons, can significantly enhance children’s understanding of this vital issue. Adapting these initiatives to the children’s needs, interests, cultural background, and energy levels is crucial. It is essential to continue developing these programs in other neighbourhoods to increase residents’ involvement and understanding of local transitions, making the energy transition more inclusive and spreading vital awareness throughout the community.
- More information
Operation Sustainable Pendrecht was made possible by Rabobank Rotterdam through the Cooperative Sustainability Contribution.
This blog was written by students from Erasmus Verbindt, involved in the project week, and edited by Naomi Schrandt (JUSTRA-researcher).
Literature
De Caluwé, M., van der Hofstad, P., Hoppe, T., & de Vries, G. (2020). Scholen als Energieambassade in de wijk: Actieonderzoek 2018-2019. Stichting Technotrend.
Sovacool, B., Heffron, R., McCauley, D. et al. Energy decisions reframed as justice and ethical concerns. Nat Energy 1, 16024 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nenergy.2016.24
