Jackson Free Press

Saving energy can be less about saving the environment and more about sparing a dollar for some government agencies. School districts, which rarely have money to burn, are currently moving ahead with massive energy-saving projects across the nation.

The Hinds County School Board is considering a contract with Chevron Services for $3 million worth of energy-saving renovations, such as replacing traditional water and flush valves with new connections that require less water, an overhaul of the district's lighting system that will replace outdated fluorescents with more energy-conscious lighting tubes, and motion sensors to remove illumination from unoccupied rooms and appliances. The district may also be updating its heating and cooling system with a centrally located thermostat that will steer heating and cooling resources away from unused space.

Hinds County Superintendent Steven Handley said the $3 million package would save the district an average of $300,000 a year, up to a possible $800,000.

"The better the environment we can provide for our students, the more likely they'll be academically successful. A lot of our buildings were built way back, and the technology has improved to the point where we can do this retrofit on many of the things that we have and save money. So, if you're saving money and increasing the possibility that your students will achieve better, why not?"

Handley said the district is considering the issue of energy efficiency now because of timely renovations already slated for the district.

"We have buildings that are aging on us, so we're going to have to do work anyway. The maintenance costs become excessive, so if you're going to replace things anyway it would make sense to bring the energy company in, find out where we can save money and do the retrofit," Handley said, adding that "there are no maintenance costs for the first year because everything is under warranty." After that, Handley predicts maintenance costs should be minimal for the next two or three years.

The Mississippi Department of Energy must first approve the project. If the department writes a letter of approval, the board will vote for approving a loan for the renovations. The board has already approved contractor Chevron to oversee them.

Jackson Public Schools is ahead of the game in its own energy-saving endeavors. The JPS board voted in 2003 to pay about $9 million to industrial design company Siemens for a systematic overhaul of the district's water and electrical systems. The district has recouped more than $3 million in savings since the initial investment.

School Board member Jonathan Larkin said he was one of the early supporters of the renovation.

"The partnership with Siemens has been a wonderful opportunity for us. It increases energy efficiency, (and) it reduces the number of service personnel that we have running up and down to every building, which saves gas. We have no complaints about it."

Larkin said Siemens did a full energy audit of the district's operating facilities, including lighting, water fountains, bathroom faucets and environmental controls. It then changed the district's water valves to more efficient designs and replaced the fluorescent ballasts to modern energy-efficient electronic ballasts. Larkin reports that replacing the standard T-12 inch-and-a-half diameter bulbs to T-8 one-inch fluorescent bulbs cuts energy usage by 20 percent. Siemens also designed a more economical, centrally controlled cooling and heating system for the district, similar in design to the model the county is considering.

Renovation and new construction in the district resulting from a recent $150 million bond will bring new energy-saving projects to the district. And new construction throughout the city will be designed with energy efficiency in mind.

The emerging South Elementary Middle School Complex, slated for completion next year, will be the first building in the state certified with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard. The complex will contain two different schools sharing a food service and recreation area.

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