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Tracking Costs

May 1, 2010 12:00 PM, By Paul W. Erickson

Energy-efficiency tips for school facilities — directing money back into educating students.

DeKalb (Ill.) Community Unit School District uses its new Cortland Elementary School, Cortland, Ill., as a conservation teaching tool for students. Photo courtesy of Jess Smith/PHOTOSMITH

Here is an idea … let's spend money on educating children instead of on unnecessary energy costs. Even though there's been a slight reprieve in energy costs, the reality is that the cost of non-renewable energy is increasing, and state education budgets are shrinking.

Recent history tells us that per-pupil funding struggles to keep up with federal and state mandates and learning needs. With the public's expectation that schools do more with less and master the art of pinching pennies, frugal business acumen is the “flavor of the day” in education.

An energy audit

One way to keep energy and operations costs from overshadowing education budgets is to develop a 10-year energy audit plan to eliminate waste. First, facility managers should know the existing energy-use costs for each of their buildings. Gather utility bills for all buildings and have an architect or engineer prepare a “dashboard” that shows dollars per square foot of building area for each utility. From this data, an architect or engineer can assess the energy efficiency in each building.

Conducting an energy audit and calculating effective cost paybacks, which consist of architectural, mechanical and electrical components, is a surefire way to identify “low-hanging fruit,” or relatively easy improvements that can be paid for through energy savings. Shorter paybacks result in immediate energy savings; projects with longer payback periods may require phasing or sequencing for completion. The energy audit leads to a long-term energy-efficiency plan that helps institutions determine cost-saving energy improvements.

Behavioral changes

Reducing energy consumption by changing users' behavior can be accomplished through training and awareness. Carrying out operational strategies and enforcing them consistently encourages faculty, students and other user groups to reduce energy consumption in schools.

Geographic location has a role in what energy-saving steps to take, but there are basic universal recommendations. Capital investments and behavioral changes can lower energy costs dramatically. Schools should initiate awareness programs to inform and educate those using facilities about consuming less energy. Users include building maintenance supervisors, custodians, school administrators, faculty, students and community groups.

Some tips that teach behavioral change to user groups:

• Maintenance personnel:

  • Operate energy-management systems effectively.
  • Provide optimal settings for HVAC equipment.
  • Train to address changes and faculty turnover.
  • Inspect fan rooms, boiler rooms and chiller rooms periodically.
  • Clean air-handling-unit coils.
  • Adopt consistent scheduling for servicing equipment.

• Administration, faculty, students and community groups:

  • Use the building as a teaching tool.
  • Turn off lights during non-occupancy.
  • Keep vestibule doors closed.
  • Use energy-efficient appliances and equipment.
  • Be conscious about water conservation.

Capital investments

Most often, priorities for energy-efficiency capital investments are determined by project costs, life-cycle analyses and payback timeframes. The infusion of grants or low-interest loans may shorten the calculated payback period to a point where the project can be financially managed sooner.

Recommendations for facilities upgrades and capital investments that reduce energy costs:

• Overall design:

  • Design for Energy Star rating through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Use energy-modeling programming for 40 percent reduction in energy costs.
  • Establish energy monitoring and trend-logging of energy usage.
  • Proceed with commissioning/re-commissioning.
  • Design for energy rebates from utility companies.

• Site:

  • Use plant vegetation that reduces water-source demand.
  • Use roof-water collection for irrigation.
  • Situate landscaping to shade glazing areas appropriately.

• Building envelope

  • Orient the building in a north/south direction for daylighting.
  • Provide clerestory lighting for interior spaces.
  • Enhance the thickness and type of roofing insulation.
  • Enhance window and glazing systems.
  • Enhance the thickness of wall insulation.
  • Install continuous air-infiltration barriers.

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