Nearly every day, a newspaper somewhere in the country is carrying a story about the success of our clients’ 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.
Teachers and staff at Rockford Public Schools have chalked up a million bucks worth of good behavior. Their energy-efficient practices have earned big savings, and now those good habits are earning the district national recognition.
The district has achieved $1,047,761 in cost savings in less than three years since forming a strategic alliance with Energy Education, Inc., a national energy conservation company, which will present the district with its Energy Excellence Award during the Board of Education meeting on June 26.
“Reaching this savings mark is a significant milestone. Rockford Public Schools has achieved success by consistently implementing the people-oriented approach to energy conservation and maintaining productive efforts at all levels of the organization. The superintendent, school board, administrators, faculty and staff members are to be commended for clearly fulfilling their commitment to being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and the environment,” said Dr. William S. Spears, CEO and founder of Energy Education, Inc.
“Strong support from Superintendent Dr. Michael Shibler and the school board has created an atmosphere of cooperation that should continue to grow and ensure even greater success well into the future,” Dr. Spears said. “I am extremely pleased to present Rockford Public Schools with our Energy Excellence Award. The district joins a very committed group of school districts across the country working hard to achieve energy savings so the dollars can be redirected to educational needs.”
A key benefit of the Energy Education, Inc. program is that all costs come out of the existing utility budget, with savings projected to more than pay for the program, as they have done for the Rockford Public Schools. Additional savings can be redirected to other parts of the district’s budget. Many districts credit the program with helping keep personnel and programs that would otherwise have fallen victim to budget cuts—a very real concern with today’s school funding crisis.
As part of the program, district Energy Education Manager Tom Larson tracks energy consumption, including electricity, water, sewer, natural gas, and fuel oil, using energy-accounting software. He compares current energy use to a baseline period and calculates the amount of energy that would have been used had conservation and management practices not been implemented. By tracking consumption and analyzing energy use, he can quickly identify and correct areas that need immediate attention.
Energy Education, Inc. has worked with more than 750 school districts across the nation, positively impacting the educational environment of nearly ten million children and helping school districts save more than $1 billion in 20 years.
Michael S. Shibler, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools (616) 863-6557