Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Schneider Electric, School District Partner for Modernization Project

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/18/21

Energy and sustainability solutions company Schneider Electric announced this week that it is partnering with Gulf Shores City Schools in Gulf Shores, Ala., on a system-wide modernization project. The project’s goals are to boost district sustainability and energy efficiency, increase student engagement, and boost opportunities for STEM education. The program is slated to reduce the district’s energy consumption by 33 percent across the next 20 years for a projected savings of about $6.4 million.

“Providing a safe, healthy and enjoyable indoor and outdoor learning environment for our students and teachers is among our top priorities,” said Dr. Matt Akin, Gulf Shores City Schools Superintendent. “We’re thrilled to partner with Schneider Electric to not only make much-needed upgrades to our buildings, but also to do it in an innovative way that boosts critically important STEM learning while saving us money for future improvements.”

According to a press release, improvements to district facilities include:

  • New HVAC systems
  • New, more sustainable water systems to reduce energy & water consumption
  • Roof replacement at the district’s high school
  • A new centralized building automation system at each school in the district
  • Interior and exterior LED lighting upgrades
  • Solar skylights to increase daylighting
  • A Voiceover IP (VoIP) phone system to decrease emergency response times

The project also includes the construction of interactive learning areas in all three of the district’s schools. These include a renewable energy generation area with interactive dashboards displaying real-time data about energy production and usage; a system of SmartFlower solar arrays; the installation of solar-powered trees; other solar-powered technology like solar benches and charging stations; and a variety of teaching exhibits.

The modernization work will be paid for in part by federal funds provided by the American Rescue Plan.

“We are proud to partner with Gulf Shores City Schools on innovative solutions that provide a health, safe and sustainable learning environment,” said Tammy Fulop, Vice President of Schneider Electric. “As districts struggle to do more with less, we are excited to help GSCS become a leading example of how to address top priorities and create a state-of-the-art campus while saving money for future upgrades.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.