Solar Hot Water System Installation Program

Project Title: Solar Hot Water System Installation Program

Project Initiator: Life Express Foundation

Introduction of the Project:

In rural China, primary and secondary schools are gradually being converted into boarding schools. This allows students who live in villages far from the schools to stay at the school and return to their homes only during the weekend. These students are able to enjoy a much more comprehensive education curriculum rather than travelling many hours to school from their homes every day.

With the exception of some newly built schools, the vast majority of these converted boarding schools have only very rudimentary facilities. While schools do all they can to meet the needs of students and teachers, facilities by and large remain grossly inadequate.

For example, most toilets have no running water and there is usually no sewage system. Water supplies are mainly drawn from wells dug within the school's compound which allow, at best, a drizzling of cold water from a tap. Because schools cannot afford the electricity fees to boil hot water, baths and showers are impossible.

Installing a solar hot water system at a rural school can vastly improve the living conditions of students without increasing the financial burden of the school. This small improvement allows students to enjoy a hot shower once a week; before that, they were not able to take a single bath for the entire winter.

It’s a simple but effective solution: A solar panel installed on a school's rooftop provides 2.5 tons of hot water each day – enough for 100 students to take a shower. Village boarding schools have an average of 400 students, which means every student can take a hot shower once a week as well as wash their hands and faces with warm water.

As solar hot water systems are most effective in regions where there is strong sunlight, the first spots of this project target regions in the southwest part of China. Through public funds-raising, Lifeline Express Foundation sponsor solar hot water systems installation in these regions. The foundation will contact a school (which can also be chosen by the donor) and arrange for a visit by the solar system technician. After a physical inspection, a design proposal for the installation will be produced and work will generally commence within 15-20 days. After completion, the school can contact Lifeline Express to report problems at any time, and there will be a follow visit up to repair the solar system.

By far, over 150 hot water systems have been installed in village schools by Lifeline Express. In addition to school installation, the plan now is to work with the Ministry of Civil Affairs to install solar hot water systems in about 300 orphanages situated all over China.

Contact Information:

Add: Rm A609, 6/F, Nan Xin Cang Business World, No. 22 Dong Si Shi Tiao, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, 100007

Tel: 010-51690999

Fax: 010-51690009

E-mail: office@lifeline-express.com

Contact Person: Isabel Liu