Marbella launches its plan for the integral air-conditioning of all schools

The three-million-euro project does not only seek the mere installation of devices, according to the municipal education department, but aims to "go much further" and ensure that schools "also have significant energy support through photovoltaic solar energy". Thus, half of the budget for this project will go towards the installation of solar roofs and canopies, which in turn will result in energy and electricity bill savings.

"We want to avoid compromising the electrical installations of many schools, which in some cases have old infrastructures and could be subjected to excessive electrical stress with the increased consumption resulting from the new air conditioning systems. For this reason, the project has been approached in a comprehensive and responsible manner: not only are the schools air-conditioned, but also their own energy is generated to reduce dependence on the electricity grid, avoid overloads, improve energy efficiency and reduce the cost of future electricity consumption," explained the town hall.

The council has now put out a tender for the installation of solar panels. The panels will not be installed in all the schools, only in five, from where electricity will be supplied to the rest. One of them will be the Fuente Nueva school, which will also supply the CEIP Miguel Hernández and José Banús, while the Al-Andalus will supply the San Pedro and Teresa de León schools. The CEIP Vargas Llosa will cover part of the electricity supply needs of up to eight schools: the Federico García Lorca, Antonio Machado, Miguel de Cervantes, Fernández Mayoralas, Xarblanca and Gil Muñiz, and the Las Albarizas nursery school.

Another CEIP where there will be solar panels is Santa Teresa, which will cover the Vicente Aleixandre, Virgen del Carmen, Las Albarizas, Valdeolletas, Juan Ramón Jiménez and Los Olivos, and the nursery school El Pinar, while the CEIP Pinolivo will cover the Platero school, as well as the municipal offices in Las Chapas and the Santa María sports complex.

The contract for the implementation of the photovoltaic energy has been put out to tender for just over 725,000 euros and a completion period of four months. The council is already preparing another contract worth 1.7 million euros for the supply and installation of the equipment.

"The hot-cold air-conditioning systems are something highly demanded by the educational communities, so we are going to significantly improve the conditions for students and teachers. We are also going to complete a global action that will allow energy modernisation of all public schools in Marbella," the council said.