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

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Minnesota District Completes $49.7M Addition, Renovation Project

    St. Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $49.7-million addition and remodeling project at two district schools, according to a news release.

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • 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.

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.