Improved energy efficiency saves Whitley County BOE over $90,000

 The Whitley County school district saved over $90,000 in 2014 on its energy usage thanks to a guaranteed energy savings contract that the district entered in 2013 with CMTA Energy Solutions.

"This is an ongoing process. CMTA is walking us through it the next few years. It is looking good right now in year one," Director of Facilities John Siler told the Whitley County Board of Education during its monthly meeting Thursday.

Under the plan, CMTA guaranteed the district at least a 6.4 percent decrease in energy usage but the actual reduction was 10.8 percent, Siler noted.

The reductions were largely accomplished by replacing outdated high-energy use equipment with more energy efficient alternatives.

Through the energy savings plan, the district replaced the heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system at Whitley County Primary School with a geothermal system.

"That is where a lot of our savings is being generated," Siler noted.

LED lighting was installed in the gymnasiums at the primary school, middle school, and Oak Grove, Whitley North and Boston elementary schools.

Variable speed pumping and lighting retrofits were installed at the intermediate school, exterior lighting was replaced at the primary school, middle school, high school, and Oak Grove, Whitley North and Boston elementary schools.

In addition parking lot lighting controls were installed at the intermediate school and Oak Grove, Whitley North and Boston elementary schools.

Siler noted that the district can now control the parking lot lighting at these schools, meaning the lights can be turned off in the middle of the night when there is no reason for anyone to need them.

Through the plan, the school district paid $40,084 in debt service in 2014 and saved $94,942, which resulted in a $54,858 positive impact on the general fund.

Superintendent Scott Paul added that before geothermal was installed at the primary school it used to have some astronomical electrical bills in July and August as officials were running 30 or 40 portable units in an attempt to cool it and were only making it comfortable.

The board started its meeting Thursday with a moment of silence in honor of student Jonathan Chatham, who died when he was struck by a school bus on March 23.

During Thursday’s meeting Paul also updated the board on the school calendar, which has been changed due to recent state legislation granting districts relief for some days missed this year due to inclement weather.

The last day for school for students will now be May 15 and high school graduation will take place on May 16 at 11 a.m.

In addition, the board received a construction update on the new Pleasant View Elementary School.

Over the last 30 days, glazing and drywall have been finished, painting is 90 percent complete and flooring and the ceiling grid are about 40 percent complete, said Sondra Honaker, construction manager for the Pleasant View project.

Over the next month, the HVAC system should be up and running. In addition, mechanical, sprinkler and electrical system finishes should start.

"Everything is progressing along really well out there," Honaker noted.

In other business, the board met in executive session for about 30 minutes but took no formal action.

After the executive session, Paul declined to say what was discussed during the executive session other than it involved personnel.