Lights Out at California's Mira Costa High School

During the daytime and into the early evening, high schools are lively with students rushing to and from classes, meetings and sports practices, but what about the sleepy hours leading up to dawn? Not so much. After teaming up with Energy Education Inc., California’s Mira Costa High School has begun an interior dark campus policy that minimizes the number of parking and perimeter lights that are left on between midnight and 5 a.m.

The policy may also help decrease unlawful trespassing and vandalism, as anyone who sees suspicious activity during those hours is asked to report it to the police immediately. The local police department has also been informed of the change in policy. As one of the largest schools in the district, Mira Costa High School’s utility costs reach $185,000 yearly. Since working with Energy Education Inc., the district has cut down on its energy costs by $10,000 per month. 

Celebrate Earth Day with Good News from Virginia

Happy Earth Day! For students of Loudoun County Public Schools in Ashburn, Va., it’s an especially happy Earth Day, in light of news that the school district was named an Energy Star Partner of the Year by the Environmental Protection Agency for the second year in a row. With help from Energy Education Inc., the schools saved more than $323,000 in 2010 alone.

“They’re now spending money on textbooks and teachers, instead of energy bills. Teachers and textbooks are certainly where education dollars belong,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Bon Perciasepe to the Washington Examiner.

Energy Education Inc. has been working with Loudoun since June of 1993, accumulating a savings of $29,861,725 through January 2011. For nearly two decades, the program has helped spread energy awareness and make Loudoun one of Energy Ed’s greatest success stories. Loudoun County Public Schools are home to 63,220 students and 76 schools.

Energy Education Helps Troup County Schools Cut Back

Since Georgia’s Troup County schools began working with Energy Education Inc., the school system has saved more than $331,000 and reduced its energy consumption by 14,226 BTUs. What does that mean? Equate it with 1,881 tons of carbon dioxide being removed from the atmosphere or 48,122 tree seedlings grown for 10 years. Over nine months, the school system reduced its energy use by 16 percent.

The energy savings are just in time for tomorrow’s Earth Day, but Energy Education Inc. is eager to remind people to continue energy-saving efforts year-round.

“It’s important for all of us to save energy,” said Sandy Melton, an Energy Education specialist, in an interview with WLTX 38 NBC. “While most of the time we discuss it in terms of saving money, for Earth Day we encourage you to be concerned with our natural resources. Being good stewards of both our money and our environment gives us a great sense of satisfaction.”

With rising prices of electricity, natural gas, heating oil and water, utility costs are an issue of focus for the Troup County School System. The energy program is projected to help the school system save $7.6 million during the first 10 years. This will save taxpayer dollars as well as teachers’ jobs, and allow the schools to hang onto important programs.   

$4.4 Million Cut Away From Energy Bill

It was five years ago that the Sheboygan Area School District entered a contract with energy conservation company Energy Education Inc. Since then it has saved close to $4.4 million in energy costs through the just-terminated energy just-concluded energy savings program. Compared to the district’s energy costs of $2.325 million in 2005 it has changed to $2.125 million in 2010. According to the district coordinator of facilities services, Dave Albright, these numbers are important but the main attention should be paid to the district’s ‘cost avoidance.’ He explained that this term stands for “what you would have paid or consumed if you had not used an energy savings plan.” Through the contract and help from Energy Education Inc. this cost avoidance increased from approximately $500,000 in 2006 to above $1 million in 2010.

But what will happen now? The contract between the Sheboygan Area School District and Energy Education Inc. has ended but Albright will still focus on making a change to the environment and to the district’s energy consumption. Even though energy education specialist Gene Gasper has retired and will not return to her position, the district will continue the energy savings program and keep taking advantage of the positive changes it has already brought to staff and schools.

Click here to view the original article on Energy Education Inc. and Sheboygan Area School District.

Rocklin Elementary School Is Looking For Quality Person For Energy Education Specialist

Rocklin Elementary School is seeing some drastic changes to its current staff. Teachers become leaders and new employees are hired to take on important and responsibility heavy roles. One of these future positions to be filled is and Energy Education Specialist who will work closely with the district and with energy-saving company Energy Education Inc. This newly created position is required for the partnership between Rocklin Elementary School and Energy Education Inc. as he or she will be responsible for monitoring the school’s and its employees’ energy consumption. The individual will have to be flexible in regards to working hours as weekends, evenings and holiday work is included in the job description.

Bob Lee, assistant superintendent of human resources with Rocklin Unified, mentioned that the salary of approximately $68,000 to $80,000 was going to play a significant role in finding the right person for the position. “(They are) strategies that would attract the best person for the position,” he said. Board President Greg Daley agreed and explained the importance of “getting quality people in quality positions.” “The better the energy specialist person we have, the more money we will save,” he added.

Click here to view the original article on Energy Education Inc. and Rocklin Elementary School.

Milford School District To Save $6.5 Million With Help From Energy Education Inc.

The Milford School Board decided 5-3 on entering a partnership with energy education company, Energy Education Inc. Through this partnership the district is expecting to save $6.5 million over a ten-year period. In order to monitor energy consumption and keep a close eye on how to decrease it custodial union President James R. Whitaker was employed and named the school district’s new energy coordinator. Whitaker is looking forward to this opportunity as he approaches methods to save energy costs and with that taxpayers’ money. He will be required to take his job beyond the regular 9-to-5-job to make sure that during day and nighttime energy conservation strategies are executed correctly. His salary will amount to $74,000 annually. Energy Education Inc. will train Whitaker and make sure he is well prepared to take on the new task.

According to Energy Education Inc.’s Vice President Chuck Fasnacht the school has agreed to provide his company with 12 percent of the total savings. During the first year he is expecting to save approximately $183,000 and in the case this goal is not reached, it will make up the difference between the savings and the school district’s expenses.

Click here to view the original article on Energy Education Inc. and Milford school district.

Flushing Community Schools save more than $1 million with Energy Education's help

Flushing Community Schools is one of the 90 school districts that partner with energy consulting company Energy Education Inc. Since the beginning of its partnership in August 2007, it has saved more than $1.3 million on energy expenses. The energy consulting company focuses on creating and developing customized conservation programs for large churches, universities and schools. With cutting approximately 38 percent off its energy bill the Flushing School District was able to position itself as number two, just behind the Lowell Area Schools in the list of 90 districts partnering with Energy Education Inc.

Director of public relations for Energy Education Inc., Jan Noel-Smith, underlines that the district and its people can be proud of their accomplishments. “(Flushing employees) really have a lot to be commended for. In this climate we certainly have to save energy to save money. Flushing has obviously done a stellar job of that.” According to Paul Martin, energy manager for the district’s schools explained that the biggest reason for this success is the cooperation between faculty and staff. With small steps, by turning off lights, by shutting doors, and by shutting off computers at the end of the day energy savings accrue every day.

Click here to view the original article on Energy Education Inc.