Energy Savings Made Easy

Energy Savings

Scottsboro City Schools saw great energy savings when they used Schneider Electric systems in facility upgrades across the district.

Many schools around the country are deteriorating and faced with unprecedented budgetary pressures and a long list of deferred capital improvements. The Scottsboro school district in Alabama was no exception, with a student population of 2,700, the city operates four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school, as well as an adult learning center for those seeking a GED (general education diploma) or career training.

By 2012, many of the facilities were in need of major renovations. The forward-thinking school district opted for a performance contract from Schneider Electric to fund major renovations.

After an audit of all facilities, Schneider Electric implemented new systems for building automation, lighting, mechanical equipment, water commissioning, information technology and renewable energy, among other upgrades. This project provided Scottsboro City Schools with an effective way to fund long-needed, critical and comprehensive HVAC renovations that the district had no other way of funding.

Benefits of this project include reduced energy consumption and costs, as well as increased energy and water efficiency. The school system now has one single contact for service and support which was important to them as well as low-interest funding sources which guarantees savings.

www.schneider-electric.com

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management December 2013 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Washington State District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Cheney School District No. 360 in Spokane County, Wash., recently announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school, according to local news. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 18 in Airway Heights for the yet-to-be-named school, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Acquires VPS Architecture

    Full-service planning, architecture, and engineering firm Wold Architects & Engineers recently announced that it has acquired VPS Architecture, according to a news release. The move will help strengthen Wold’s education and public-sector design expertise, industries in which both companies have strong pre-existing ties and relationships.

  • Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts

    Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.