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

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.

  • Purdue Fort Wayne Opens New Student Housing Complex

    Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) in Fort Wayne, Ind., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new, 600-bed student housing complex on campus, according to a news release.