Energy Star Equals Gold Star for School District
Posted by lindseyshoe
We have all heard of Energy Star appliances, those appliances that operate with efficiency while using natural resources such as energy, gas and water, but how many of us know about Energy Star schools?
This year’s 2009 Energy Star awards included a school district, Gresham-Barlow outside of Portland Oregon. Gresham-Barlow school district is one of the largest school districts in Oregon with over 12,000 students, 19 schools from elementary to high school and over approximately 1,685,000 square feet of space. This school district is no newcomer to saving energy in addition to educating our children, as it has also been an awarded the Energy Star Partner of the Year two additional times.
According to EnergyStar.gov this school district received the Energy Star of the Year award because of the following improvements throughout the school district:
-Being the first organization to be recognized by EPA for achieving 30% savings across its entire portfolio of buildings, and increasing these savings to more than 48% during the 2007-2008 school year.
-Earning recognition from EPA as an ENERGY STAR Leader and Top Performer.
-Earning the ENERGY STAR for 18 of its 19 schools and maintaining this high performance throughout 2008.
- Involving maintenance staff, teachers, principals, students, parents, and the community in energy management efforts by partnering with the Gresham Chamber of Commerce to promote its energy management model to the surrounding community, and partnering with JC Penney stores to recognize students’ good energy behaviors.
What changes did this school district make to use energy more efficiently as well as use less energy?
Gresham Barlow school district began their journey several years ago, when an energy management company approached them with an offer to help them save $300,000 a year on their energy bill. After hearing their proposal Dave Cone, Assistant Facilities Supervisor for this school district was put in charge of finding way to make energy efficiency happen, without spending valuable school resources and money on an energy management company.
The school district saw this as an amazing opportunity to create a successful program that would not only benefit their school district but their community as well as creating a new line of education for their students.
For the investment of $600.00 in energy tracking software and hardware, the school district first found out that they were using a great deal of energy they didn’t need to, like leaving lights on in schools long past the end of the school day. Simply by setting the system to turn lights off at 4:30 pm they found they were able to save approximately $6,500 their first year. Impressed and astounded by their success more changes were initiated with increases in money and energy saving efforts resulting each year. The first year they saved, $300,000, the next $800,000, and in the third 1.2 million dollars were saved by taking energy efficient changes throughout the school district. This amount equals almost 22 teaching positions, so instead of closing programs and laying off teachers and staff, Gresham Barlow school district is provided with two very important tools really needed to educate students – teachers and finances.
What changes were made to create these money and energy saving improvements? The school district changed the use and length of time that energy was used, for example turning off computers, lights and adjusting temperatures. Other changes included changing light bulbs to energy efficient ones, using energy efficient supplies as well as making capital improvements throughout the school district that resulted in less energy and natural resource usage.
Students are also involved in energy efficient practices with a “Watt Watchers Program.” Students during study periods can participate in this program monitoring classrooms, lounges, offices etc. throughout the day for lights left on. If lights are left on the students turn them off and leave a “ticket” on the room’s door which provides a reminder to turn off lights when you leave the room to save energy.
The Watt Watchers program alone saves $800.00 a month on the schools energy bill. Each year this school district finds more that they can do that can result in different benefits, not just saving money but in saving the environment, educating students and preparing them for the future.
Other schools in competition for the Energy Star Award program include schools in Kentucky, Wisconsin and New York just to name a few. Businesses are also eligible for the Energy Star Award.
Facts You Should Know about Schools and Energy Usage:
-The annual energy bill for America’s school districts is $6 billion
-More money is spent on energy than on textbooks and computers combined
-Those schools that use energy the least efficiently use three times more energy that the top performers
-Energy star labeled schools cost .40 per square foot less to operate than AVERAGE energy performing schools. That can add up to a lot of money!
What can your school district do to become more energy efficient? You as a parent, student, teacher or staff member can become involved at many levels to help your school district with their money and energy saving efforts including:
-teach children not only their “ABC’s and 123′s” but about the environment and our impact on it
-prepare an energy strategy for the future
-utilize the instructions, suggestions and recommendations
-participate in online training sessions
-use Energy Star products
-talk to other schools involved in Energy Star efforts and find out what works for them
What a difference just one small change can make. Start small with your child’s school and see how far your efforts can go. Your school district can not only save money but teach our children about the environment, and help them to prepare for the future.
I had a site about this topic, but it got spammed so bad I had to shut it. You appear to have a better spam filter! Kudos!