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Nearly every day, at least one media outlet somewhere in the country carryies a story about the success of our clients’ behavior-based energy conservation programs. Below are just a few examples of the great work they are doing, and the privilege it is to serve them in such tangible, noteworthy ways.
Energy Education Media Contact: Jan Noel-Smith 214.273.2814 jnoelsmith@energyed.com
Energy Education Media Fact Sheet
North Shore Sun January 15, 2010 Meet Mount Sinai's Energy Czar Principal, Energy Management Company Save District $1 Million When the Mount Sinai School District first hired the energy management consultants Energy Education, it was promised a big savings in energy costs. And while the reduction in costs was guaranteed, it would have been hard for the administration to imagine they'd really save this much. After three years with the Texas-based company, Mount Sinai has now saved $1 million, according to Chris Heil, the district's energy educator/manager and middle school assistant principal. Superintendent Anthony Bonasera said the program did not require an initial capital outlay and it has not negatively affected conditions during the school day. As for Mount Sinai saving close to $350,000 annually, "that's all attributable to Chris," Dr. Bonasera said. "He's done quite a job." When Mr. Heil is not busy policing his charges, he patrols the district's halls and classrooms. Several times a week, he will examine different heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to make sure they are all operating properly and on schedule. He also looks for lights and other electronic devices that have inadvertently been left on and leaves tickets for the offenders. "I don't really have to do it as much anymore," Mr. Heil said. 'It's too good to be true,' said Superintendent Anthony Bonasera. The program is based mainly on behavior management, and Mr. Heil has done that effectively, Dr. Bonasera said. Mr. Heil estimated that it costs the district $40,000 to light classrooms during the day for a school year. Managing the lighting more efficiently during the day, he said, saves nearly $5,000 annually on its own. "It's pennies," Mr. Heil said, as he turned off a pair of computer speakers in an unoccupied classroom recently. "But it really adds up." Using a database called EnergyCAP, he enters the district's monthly utility bills, daily temperature data and other building information. The program uses the 2006 baseline to calculate the district's savings. "It's such a no-brainer," Mr. Heil said. "You just take the equipment you have and get it under control." Four years ago, the district found out about Energy Education at a superintendents' conference in Albany. The district signed up for more information, Dr. Bonasera said, and the company sent engineers to Mount Sinai for an initial meeting. After Mount Sinai signed on, Energy Education sent engineers on a weekly basis to train Mr. Heil and the custodial staff on what to look for when auditing district systems and how to most efficiently operate the clocks and timers in the buildings' mechanical rooms. They also gave Mr. Heil gauges to measure temperatures and relative humidity in each room, because if the humidity gets above 60 percent, the chance of mold damage increases exponentially. Mr. Heil became the district's energy educator/manager because Energy Education required the district to hire someone in-house for the job. He was a technology teacher at the time and has always been interested in systems and programming, he said. The more time he spends walking the buildings' halls, the more attuned he has become to how things operate. For instance, he can tell sooner than he could before if a particular system needs to be repaired. "You keep finding little things to add to the program to make it better," he said. Dr. Bonasera said the district could not be happier with the program, and, for the first time, he said, he is receiving calls from other Long Island superintendents about the energy savings program. "It's too good to be true," Dr. Bonasera said of the program. "And that's how they sold it."
North Shore Sun January 15, 2010
Meet Mount Sinai's Energy Czar Principal, Energy Management Company Save District $1 Million
When the Mount Sinai School District first hired the energy management consultants Energy Education, it was promised a big savings in energy costs. And while the reduction in costs was guaranteed, it would have been hard for the administration to imagine they'd really save this much.
After three years with the Texas-based company, Mount Sinai has now saved $1 million, according to Chris Heil, the district's energy educator/manager and middle school assistant principal.
Superintendent Anthony Bonasera said the program did not require an initial capital outlay and it has not negatively affected conditions during the school day.
As for Mount Sinai saving close to $350,000 annually, "that's all attributable to Chris," Dr. Bonasera said. "He's done quite a job."
When Mr. Heil is not busy policing his charges, he patrols the district's halls and classrooms. Several times a week, he will examine different heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to make sure they are all operating properly and on schedule. He also looks for lights and other electronic devices that have inadvertently been left on and leaves tickets for the offenders.
"I don't really have to do it as much anymore," Mr. Heil said.
'It's too good to be true,' said Superintendent Anthony Bonasera.
The program is based mainly on behavior management, and Mr. Heil has done that effectively, Dr. Bonasera said.
Mr. Heil estimated that it costs the district $40,000 to light classrooms during the day for a school year. Managing the lighting more efficiently during the day, he said, saves nearly $5,000 annually on its own.
"It's pennies," Mr. Heil said, as he turned off a pair of computer speakers in an unoccupied classroom recently. "But it really adds up."
Using a database called EnergyCAP, he enters the district's monthly utility bills, daily temperature data and other building information. The program uses the 2006 baseline to calculate the district's savings.
"It's such a no-brainer," Mr. Heil said. "You just take the equipment you have and get it under control."
Four years ago, the district found out about Energy Education at a superintendents' conference in Albany. The district signed up for more information, Dr. Bonasera said, and the company sent engineers to Mount Sinai for an initial meeting. After Mount Sinai signed on, Energy Education sent engineers on a weekly basis to train Mr. Heil and the custodial staff on what to look for when auditing district systems and how to most efficiently operate the clocks and timers in the buildings' mechanical rooms. They also gave Mr. Heil gauges to measure temperatures and relative humidity in each room, because if the humidity gets above 60 percent, the chance of mold damage increases exponentially.
Mr. Heil became the district's energy educator/manager because Energy Education required the district to hire someone in-house for the job. He was a technology teacher at the time and has always been interested in systems and programming, he said.
The more time he spends walking the buildings' halls, the more attuned he has become to how things operate. For instance, he can tell sooner than he could before if a particular system needs to be repaired.
"You keep finding little things to add to the program to make it better," he said. Dr. Bonasera said the district could not be happier with the program, and, for the first time, he said, he is receiving calls from other Long Island superintendents about the energy savings program.
"It's too good to be true," Dr. Bonasera said of the program. "And that's how they sold it."
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