Schools make energy efficiency goal
Schools are getting proactive about saving money on utility bills.
It's an idea that several Butler County districts have embraced, particularly as state and federal funding has decreased.
South Butler County School District developed an energy savings plan in 2008 with a company called Energy Education, which has since changed its name to Cenergistic.
“Energy Education did an extensive assessment districtwide of utilities, and made recommendations on ways the district could save energy long term,” said Jason Davidek, district spokesman.
Apparently, the changes have added up.
He said South Butler is on track to reach a $1 million in savings this school year through the changes made the past six years. That's thanks to having a more efficient temperature control system, several of the school roofs having a white coating reflecting light, and implementing a summer energy savings program, with staff members working four 10-hour days rather than five eight-hour days during the summer, among other things.
Meanwhile, Seneca Valley School District has made energy efficiency a priority for more than a decade.
It has energy efficient rooftops and a more “natural” ventilation system in several of its buildings, low wattage light bulbs, toilets that use less water and the teachers are shown ways to make a difference in energy consumption.
“We've done a whole lot of changing peoples' behaviors on energy efficiency,” said Tracy Vitale, Seneca Valley superintendent. “Something as simple as … talking to our teachers and our employees about when you're not in your classroom your lights go out, your blinds get shut when you leave. Even if it's just during your lunch period.”
This time of year, the district makes great use of its ventilation systems, since turning the heat on during crisper fall days isn't necessary.
“Some people with this recent cool spell might've turned their heat on. Our schools would not have done that because we would have shut down the outside air and tried to maintain an internal temperature. In the spring, when people begin to click their air conditioners earlier in the season, we don't,” Vitale said. “We bring cooler air in this time of the season, so that the building maintains a steadier temperature during the day. So when it gets too cool, we'd be closing our ventilation from the outside to keep our heat in. We have systems that recognize that.”
While she couldn't pinpoint an overall savings to the district, she's confident the moves have saved the district significantly.
At Butler School District, the savings is probably most visible on the road: the school bus provider, Valley Lines, has gradually added more compressed natural gas-fueled buses to its fleet.
Valley Lines uses 29 CNG buses, and with a $300,000 Department of Environmental Protection grant awarded this year, there will be 30 more using the alternative fuel by next fall. Butler School District uses about 100 buses.
The natural gas alternative not only burns cleaner; it's significantly cheaper than gas.
Glenn Terwilliger, maintenance supervisor for the district, said Butler has also made strides in saving energy through replacing roofs at the senior high and at McQuistion Elementary, installing occupancy lighting at the intermediate high school, and using lower wattage lights.
“Anytime a light fixture goes bad, we replace it with something more energy efficient,” he said.
