Once you have completed the work in this book you are ready to assemble your data, create the necessary graphs and overheads and make formal energy recommendations. Your job is to make an appointment with the decision maker responsible for operation and maintenance of the building to present the energy audit findings of your team.

As a group, take the information you have collected and make a set of formal recommendations on how to save energy at your school. There is no magic number so you may have more, or less recommendations than in this table. However, you should try to identify the major sources of energy use and evaluate how much it will cost to implement the recommendation. Further, estimate payback by comparing the cost of your recommendation divided by the energy saved each year. For example, if it costs $18,000 to do a lighting retrofit that saves $6,000/year the payback is $18,000/$6000yr = 3 yr. Use this information to help prioritize your recommendations. Emphasize those that you feel should be done first. Reasons for a particular priority can be economic but it can also be for other reasons, to improve the safety, quality, or comfort in a particular space, to take advantage of planned maintenance or to the need to replace a particular piece of equipment, or to capitalize on the interests of particular teachers, students, or maintenance personnel.

1. Prepare graphs, charts, and tables. Decide how you want your audience to encounter the material. Choose the clearest way possible to get your point across. Remember that you now know a lot more about your school’s energy use than the people in your audience.

2. Contact your school principle to determine which audience should hear your material and make an appointment to be placed on the agenda.

3. Invite guest speakers (energy auditors from local utility company) that will support your data and make sure that your parents are allowed to see your team's presentation.