Sustainability

Virginia School District Set to Save $3.1M in Energy, Operating Costs

• By Matt Jones
• 09/19/22

Fredericksburg City Public Schools in Fredericksburg, Va., recently partnered with facility solutions provider ABM on the creation of an Energy Performance Contracting program. The solution will save the district an estimated $3.1 million in energy and operating costs over the next fifteen years, according to a news release. The program will allow district leadership to modernize facilities district-wide and improve lighting and indoor air quality for students and teachers—as well as help the City of Fredericksburg reach its goal of using renewable energy to power 100% of municipal operations by the year 2035.

“As the city’s largest single consumer of electricity, diesel fuel and natural gas, the school district’s reduced energy use greatly impacts the community’s decarbonization goals,” said ABM Technical Solutions President Mark Hawkinson. “Our project creates that savings while helping Fredericksburg protect air quality and provide engaging learning environments for students across the district.”

The savings from the project will come from improved lighting, HVAC and water conservation upgrades, the news release reports. Facility upgrades for the district’s two elementary schools, middle school, high school and pre-kindergarten facilities include LED lighting retrofits and replacements; boiler and HVAC equipment replacements and upgrades; and water conservation measures. Additionally, it also allowed the school district to win a grant from the Clean School Bus program toward purchasing ten electric school buses.

“We’re showing our students what leadership can accomplish for our community well-being,” said FCPS Deputy Superintendent Dr. Matthew Eberhardt. “The project ensures that our school infrastructure continues to provide healthy and engaging environments for teachers and students while delivering a big win for our community’s vital renewable energy goals.”

The ABM Energy Performance Contracting Program helps schools invest in facility upgrades without requiring new capital from the community, according to the news release. ABM has partnered with more than 500 K–12 school districts, colleges and universities across the country to transfer costs of critical facility upgrades and educational initiatives out of the institutions’ operational budgets.