St. Cloud schools grade well in energy savings

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St. Cloud schools grade well in energy savings

Around Osceola

Wednesday, 06 July 2011 00:00

The Osceola County School District recently announced that 10 buildings, including several St. Cloud area schools, have earned the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Stars certification.
This recognition is presented to the most energy efficient buildings in the country.
“Our students, staff and faculty embrace the energy conservation program at our campus,” Principal Holly Willis at Narcoossee Elementary, said.
Her building earned one of the certifications.
The district’s energy conservation program is projected to realize a net savings of $47.2 million through the first 10 years of its energy conservation program. That amount is equal to 1,127 teaching positions.
“We are extremely pleased to receive this recognition from Energy Star,” District Chairman Cindy Hartig said. “Our energy conservation efforts are saving taxpayer dollars while also helping protect our local environment. Since we began partnering with Energy Education on a serious energy conservation program, we have saved more than $4.7 million. The environmental impact is equal to taking 3,505 cars off the street or planting 499,452 trees in our community. We are proud that our energy saving success is being recognized by Energy Star.”
District buildings earning Energy Star certification include Celebration High School, Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering, Cypress Elementary School, Harmony High School, KOA Elementary School, Mill Creek Elementary School, Narcoossee Elementary School, Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Thacker Avenue Elementary for International Studies and Westside K-8 School. To earn the certification, school buildings must rate in the top 25 percent nationwide for energy efficiency.
“Achieving such significant Energy Star building certification recognition is testimony to the commitment of the Osceola County School District to energy efficiency and its benefits,” said Bob Sauchelli, United States EPA Energy Star program. “This recognition demonstrates to the community the school district’s dedication to preserving tax payer dollars as well as the environment.”
The cost of utilities is the second largest budget line-item for the district, and the prices for electricity, natural gas, heating oil and water have been steadily increasing. To combat these rising energy and utility costs, the Osceola County School District entered into a partnership with Energy Education to implement a comprehensive organizational behavior-driven energy conservation program throughout all its buildings and campuses. Energy Education guarantees the conservation program will save taxpayer dollars. Since the program was first implemented, the district has saved 21 percent on its energy and utility costs. Energy Education earned the 2011 Award for Sustained Excellence from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and was named Energy Star Partner of the Year for 2009 and 2010, validation at the highest level of their success in energy conservation and efficiency.
“Each of us can make a difference through energy conservation, because people use energy, buildings don't,” Hartig said. “We are part of a daily effort to improve the environment and save money organization-wide. There are dozens and dozens of changes, large and small, that we have implemented that are saving energy without affecting our comfort or educational goals. We have all gained a real sense of accomplishment from this Energy Star recognition. Our students are learning, too, what it means to preserve precious natural resources.”