District 30 to look at energy efficiency

District 30 officials will consider an energy performance contract that would improve school facilities and possibly save money on energy costs.

The topic was discussed at the Aug. 29 Board of Education meeting. Lisa Rutkoske, the assistant superintendent for business, said if the district does do an energy performance contract the work would likely be done in the summer of 2013.

But this summer, the district has already taken some steps to improve its energy efficiency. New windows have been installed at the Shaw Avenue and Clear Stream Avenue schools, and window installation is in progress at Forest Road School, with completion expected next week. The district is replacing all of its exterior windows that were installed in the 1980s.

A new ceiling with energy efficient lighting was also installed in one of the hallways at Shaw Avenue School. The window and ceiling work were approved by voters in May 2010 and money is coming from the capital reserve fund.

Rutkoske said there is also work planned for next summer including the replacement of exterior doors and some asphalt and sidewalk repairs.

District officials are also looking to install new building management systems at the three schools to regulate heat usage. The district’s architect, Chris Hunt of John A. Grillo Architect, said the digital system would replace the pneumatic controls currently in place.

Hunt explained that the digital system would allow the district to better regulate heat, especially on days when school is closed and less heat is needed. The current system only has day and night settings.

The district will also explore adding an Intellidyne heat manager to its boilers at Forest Road and Clear Stream Avenue School. This system regulates heat on older boilers. Forest Road’s boilers were last replaced in 1992, and Clear Stream’s in 1999. Shaw Avenue School’s boilers are expected to be replaced within the next five years so an Intellidyne system would not be needed there, district officials said.

Board of Education members said they would like to explore the possibility of adding the Intellidyne system at Forest Road School this year, and seeing what kind of energy savings it would create.

Rutkoske said that an Intellidyne system typically saves about 10 percent in heating costs per building. At Forest Road, she said it would take about three years to pay off the control system and begin saving money.

Even if the savings is negligible, Rutkoske said, it could be worth it given the current economic climate for school districts. “Any $5,000, $10,000 we can save is not something we should turn away from,” she said.

Later this year, the board will look to get Requests for Proposals for an energy performance contract. Hunt said that typically, companies interested will visit the buildings and conduct a “detailed energy audit” identifying projects that could save the district money on energy.

Hunt said the hope would be to select a company by April 2012 and send of the documents soon after to the state Education Department for approval, which would then take several months. Board of Education Trustee Ken Cummings added that state officials would want to see the projected savings from any energy performance project before signing off on it.

Rutkoske agreed, and said that any upgrades would have to save the district money long-term. “You’re still paying for it as a district,” she said of potential projects, “but you’re paying for it through those savings.”