Leesburg Today

May 30, 2008

Conservation Pays, School Leaders Told

Work to implement energy conservation measures and promote environmentally friendly procedures over the past 15 years has saved the county millions of dollars, according to a staff presentation to the school board this week.

Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey K. Plattenberg said the energy conservation management contract with Energy Education Inc. has resulted in $25 million worth of cost avoidance since 1993. Calculating the carbon dioxide emission reduction that can be attributed to the school system's conservation measures, Plattenberg said the environmental benefit was equivalent to planting 175,131 acres of trees.

"We believe in being on the leading edge, not the bleeding edge. And we are truly innovators, not imitators, when it come to sustainable design," he said.

A detailed report pointed to benefits achieved from a variety of items, including zoned heating and cooling systems, reusable cafeteria trays and solar-powered school zone traffic signs.

The report was made on the same night that a Loudoun Valley High School senior urged the school board to expand its recycling program, says that she personally hauls recyclable material from her school so that it is not commingled with trash.