Overcoming Obstacles to Going Green
Feb 1, 2010 12:00 PM, By Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com)
Strategies to meet sustainability and cost goals in the design, construction and operation of education facilities.
Idaho schools get help pursuing energy efficiency
To build what it hopes will be the first school in Idaho to receive LEED silver certification, the Caldwell district is taking advantage of an energy-saving performance contract with the local power company and incentives from the state.
The new Van Buren Elementary opened in September in Caldwell. The 70,000-square-foot facility's sustainable features include a V-shaped design intended to capture solar energy; large classroom windows that provide daylight throughout 90 percent of the building; building products made from recycled materials; high-performance kitchen and bathroom fixtures to maximize water efficiency; and HVAC systems that keep room temperatures consistent and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
District officials project that the campus's energy-saving features will result in 30 percent less energy consumption.
Funding for the $12 million project comes from an energy-saving performance contract with Idaho Power as well as additional assistance from the Idaho Office of Energy Resources.
In addition, schools throughout Idaho will get help becoming more energy-efficient with money from the 2009 federal stimulus package. A $17 million Recovery Act grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will enable all 703 schools in Idaho undergo audits to determine which facilities can benefit from upgrades that will boost energy efficiency for lighting, heating and cooling systems.
The Idaho K-12 Energy Efficiency Project calls for every school's heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system to receive either a tune-up or equipment retrofit to improve energy performance. The goal of the program is to reduce classroom energy consumption by 10 to 15 percent over the next two years.
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