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

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • 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.

  • Florida District Completes Construction on New Leadership Institute

    Pinellas County Schools near Tampa, Fla., recently announced that construction is complete on the new Dr. Michael A. Grego Leadership Institute, according to a news release. The district partnered with Rowe Architects for the project’s design and with Skanska for construction services.

  • University of Kansas Breaks Ground on Entrepreneurship Hub

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KU Entrepreneurship Hub, according to university news. The Hub is part of the university’s School of Business and will include spaces for experiential learning and programming.