School District Realizing Significant Energy Savings
By Joe LaRosa | Correspondent at December 16, 2023 | 8:00 am | Print
With so many budgets in the red, a proactive approach is leading to major savings in energy costs for New Britain public schools. Eighteen months into a four-year conservation program, the District has reduced energy costs by $760,000.
“Aside from salaries, energy is the biggest line item in the district budget,” said District Energy Management Specialist Robert Smedley. In 2010, the district’s energy costs were $3.5 million with electricity costs accounting for 75 percent. As a result the conservation program, the District’s current year energy costs are down $500,000.
To date, more efficient lighting has been installed at Slade, Pulaski, Holmes, Smith and Jefferson Schools through a program with Connecticut Lighting and Power. “The new lights are more efficient, and use lower watt bulbs and actually provide brighter lighting,” said Smedley.
In this aspect of the program the District has not incurred out of pocket costs for the retrofitting work. Savings generated by the more efficient lighting are used to offset the retrofitting and actual savings will begin after the fourth year of the program.
The most significant savings have been realized by changing behaviors within the city schools. Energy audits conducted regularly by Smedley and consultants from Cenergistic have identified specific areas with the potential for energy savings. Cenergistic designed the energy program for the District and sends consultants to conduct audits regularly. The company recently presented the District with it Stewardship award for the savings realized by implementing its suggestions. According to its consulting agreement, Cenergistic’s compensation is based on saving the District’s realizes.
“They’ve done an excellent job of implementing the program in New Britain,” said Mike Gullatt, Cenergistic’s Senior Vice President of Communications. “It’s really good news for taxpayers as well as protecting natural resources. They have instituted a culture of energy conservation that will continue for year,” Gullett added.
Based in Dallas, TX, Cenergistic works with 1,250 K-12 schools districts across the country. Consultants including engineers and data workers visit the school district several times a month providing training as audits.
“They may sound like little things, but turning off lights and computers at the end of the day has contributed to significant savings on electricity,” said Smedley. “I never turn down an opportunity to speak to people about energy savings whether it’s at faculty meeting or to a PTO or to someone I see holding a door open longer than it has to be open.
“The biggest potential for energy savings is from behavior management. We can’t continue to do what was done in the past,” he added.
Altering procedures for weekends and vacations is also contributing to significant savings in electricity and natural gas. “We consolidate food in school refrigerators and freezers on weekends and vacations. Not running those appliances means lower electricity usage,” said Smedley.
He also monitors heating within the schools. “We lower the temperature to the 50-55 degree range overnight and on weekends then bring it back up to 68 for the morning,” said Smedley.
Collectively, the behavioral changes have led to savings of $653,327 since the program started. That is a 17 percent drop in energy costs topping the 14 percent goal set for the program. In addition, another $109,272 has been saved through reimbursements for energy costs related to the cell phone towers at DiLoretto School and refunds from CNG overbilling.
The combined energy savings the program has realized to date equals more than 1,350 metric tons of carbon dioxide. That’s equivalent to emissions produced by 240 cars used daily for a year, or Greenhouse gas reductions that would allow 34,500 trees to grow for 10 years.
“The financial savings are obviously important, but so is the positive impact on the environment,” said Gullatt. “The program really sets the school district apart as being leader in this,” he added.
