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.
Walla Walla, WA — Walla Walla Public Schools’ four-year energy conservation effort has earned national recognition for saving the district more than $1 million dollars. The district received the Energy Excellence Award from Energy Education, Inc. during the School Board meeting Tuesday, April 20. Walla Walla Public Schools has achieved $1,037,897 in cost savings in less than five years since forming a strategic alliance with Energy Education, Inc., a national energy conservation company. “Reaching this savings mark is a significant milestone. Walla Walla 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 and school board, along with other administration, 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 William S. Spears, CEO and founder of Energy Education, Inc. “Strong support from Dr. Richard Carter and the school board have created an atmosphere of cooperation that should continue to grow and ensure even greater success well into the future,” Mr. Spears said. “I am extremely pleased to present Walla Walla 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 saved can be redirected to educational needs,” said Mr. Spears. 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 Walla Walla 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 a key part of the program, district Energy Manager John Butenhoff 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.’s innovative energy conservation program is a win-win alliance that positions participating school districts to achieve substantial savings with no capital expenditure. The company develops and implements customized energy conservation programs for public schools, enabling districts to redirect saved dollars to educational opportunities and resources. Energy Education, Inc. has worked with more than 600 clients from coast to coast, helping school districts save almost $1 billion in 17 years.