By Bonita Wilborn
Schneider Electric recently presented the Jackson County School System with a Savings Award Milestone for work done during their Comprehensive Facilities Improvement Project, which began in 2013.
According Dr. Kevin Dukes, Jackson County Schools Superintendent, this milestone was a celebration of a continued commitment to operating more energy efficient and creating a more comfortable learning environment without soliciting more funds from local taxpayers. He said, “We’re proud to partner with Schneider Electric to helped us reach our goals.”
Historically, the school system, along with many others throughout the state and nation, has faced overwhelming maintenance needs. Finally district officials contacted Schneider Electric with a request that they perform an energy audit and create an energy efficiency plan to address their specific needs. Schneider Electric’s plan included a plethora of measures with the goal of improving the school system’s energy efficiency by 29%. Those measures included, but were not limited to the following:
• Brightening classrooms, hallways, gyms, and outdoor spaces with energy efficient lighting and controls
• Streamlining operations with a new district-wide building automation system
• Saving energy with an IT enterprise management system encompassing over 5,500 devices
• Replacing over 100 HVAC units (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), at select schools for added indoor comfort
• Extensive sealing of building envelope for increased efficiency and comfort
In addition to the audit and specified plan for the Jackson County School System, Schneider Electric also presented the system with an energy savings performance contract (ESPC), wherein funding for the project was gained through using the cost savings achieved to pay for infrastructure improvements. Such a project gives entities with limited funding sources the opportunity to follow through with replacing or upgrading long outdated equipment and completing maintenance projects that have been indefinitely put on hold, without raising taxes in the local community.
Tammy Fulop, Vice President, Schneider Electric, said, “Jackson County Schools have demonstrated a tremendous commitment to efficiency initiatives, and we are proud to help the district meet its operational goals and modernize facilities at the same time.”
Along with the improvements to a number of buildings throughout the Jackson County School System, there has been marked improvement in their environmental effect, with a savings of more than 3,000,000 kWh. That amount of energy would supply the electrical needs of 241 average homes for a full year.
Schneider Electric has long been known for their proficiency in energy savings in Alabama. They have put into practice over $250 million in energy efficiency projects for more than 40 clients and helped public entities secure over $60 million in energy-related grants and rebates.
Besides their work with Jackson County Schools, Schneider Electric has also partnered with Scottsboro City Schools, Gadsden City Schools, Etowah County Schools, Blount County Schools, and Marshall County Schools, in Alabama as well as more than 675 ESPC projects across the nation, saving its clients a combined total of almost $2 billion.
For more information on how Schneider Electric helps K-12 schools tackle their top priorities with energy efficiency, visit www.enable.schneider-electric.com.