Hudson City Schools Energy Savings Measures Exceed Expectations
Posted on 2/2/2009
In June 2007, CCG, Inc. was awarded a contract with Hudson City Schools to implement an energy conservation program under the guidelines of Ohio House Bill 264. The annual projected utility savings were $224,125. One year after the project was completed the actual project savings totaled $326,963 exceeding the original estimate by $102,838.
The energy project included heating plant upgrades, lighting retrofits, building automation system replacement, water conservation and classroom upgrades including heating systems, lighting, drop ceilings and controls.
In itself - from comfort improvements, energy savings and system upgrades – the project was a big success. But that is only part of the story. The project was being developed at the same time the district was developing a construction project that included additions and renovations to buildings along with a new elementary building. Preliminary budgets showed that the construction project was over budget and would not come to fruition. The district administration decided to shift portions of the scope of work from the new construction project to the energy project consequently reducing the needed funds for the construction project – and allowing the project to move forward.
“The Hudson project is a great example of how a creative administration can combine a new construction project with an energy retrofit project to maximize the effectiveness of their funding,” says Brian C. Wagner, president of CCG. “The steps that Hudson’s leadership took will pay off for many years to come.”
As a result of the energy project, McDowell Elementary School has achieved the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification. Hudson High School and Hudson Middle School have applied for ENERGY STAR with ratings of 92 and 87 respectively. Any building with a rating over 75 can apply for the prestigious award. Furthermore Ellsworth Hill Elementary, the new elementary school built under the construction project, also qualifies for the award with a rating of 92.
School buildings that have earned the award in the past use nearly 40 percent less energy than average buildings. They also emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, offering a significantly smaller carbon footprint. These facilities excel due to good energy management practices, such as routine energy efficiency benchmarking.
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