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.
Gaffney, SC — Cherokee County School District #1’s four-year energy conservation effort has earned national recognition for saving the district more than $2.6 million dollars. The district received the Energy Excellence Award from Energy Education, Inc. during the School Board meeting Tuesday, February 24. Cherokee County School District has achieved $2,642,470 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. Cherokee County School District 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. William B. James 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 Cherokee County School District 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. Terry Kiser, the district’s energy manager, said “Every year we have been under the energy management program we have saved more than we anticipated. This energy excellence award wouldn’t be possible without the support of the district employees, the maintenance department and the support we receive from the administration under Superintendent Dr. Bill James. It takes the effort of everyone to monitor energy use and make sure things are shut down properly after hours. The savings from energy management provides extra money in the budget that can be used for other things.” 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 Cherokee County School District. 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, Mr. Kiser 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 almost 600 clients from coast to coast, helping school districts save nearly $1 billion in 18 years.