The Hoke (N.C.) school system had an energy redo this summer. The changes included new chillers at four schools, 161 new water fountains, installation of about 15,000 LEDs (which replaced fluorescents), weatherization of more than 300 corridor doors, digital thermostats and high-efficiency plumbing fixtures. The school also installed a web-based system to remotely control, manage and analyze energy use at each school.
The highlights of the project probably was the new chiller at Sandy Grove Elementary School. It replaces an air conditioning system that broke down last spring. Lack of AC in an elementary school in late spring in North Carolina is a serious issue that alarmed and angered parents, according to the story at Fayobserver.com.
The first year savings from the project could reach $602,543, with a guarantee of $545,741. The 15 year savings is expected to be $8.1 million.
Schools use lots of energy and, therefore, are great targets for reducing consumption. Last month, Revolution Lighting Technologies completed a retrofit of lighting across 50 school systems in New Jersey. More than 500,000 Seesmart LED tubes have been installed to date. Another example is the installation by Ameresco of solar panels at six schools in Arlington, MA.
