Ellis Unified School District Achieves Budget Savings Through Energy Efficiency Project

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Schneider Electric helps school district achieve energy savings and improve its buildings with performance contract

dallas – August 25, 2010 – Ellis Unified School District (USD) 388 has completed $1.7 million in facility enhancements designed to upgrade equipment and improve operations, comfort and efficiency at its three main buildings. Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, completed the work as a performance contract with the school district. The project was funded through a tax-exempt municipal lease, allowing the district to leverage future energy and maintenance savings to offset a majority of the financing costs. As a result of the upgrades, USD 388 has already saved $39,000 to date, and Schneider Electric guarantees that the school will reduce its annual utility costs by approximately $64,000. The project is anticipated to save the district 311,965 kilowatt hours, 1,195 kilowatts, and 3,488 MCF of energy annually and will decrease annual emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere by 227,000 pounds per year, which is equivalent to removing 70 cars from the roads, or planting 10,319 trees.

Located in western Kansas, Ellis USD 388 serves approximately 425 students at two school campuses and employs over 70 administrators, faculty and other staff. The overall goals for the project were to improve energy efficiency district wide and address the mechanical issues at the high school. Major projects at the high school included a replacement of the heating and cooling systems, which were original from the 1970s, upgrading the lighting, and implementing a new building automation system to better operate the facility. At Washington Elementary, steam-system modifications were made and all new light fixtures installed. Additionally, new lighting and programmable thermostats implemented at the old gymnasium have provided dramatically improved lighting over the court and enable better management of energy in the facility.

“Prior to partnering with Schneider Electric, our high school was in dire need of an update to its mechanical infrastructure,” said Steve Taylor, superintendent of USD 388. “We wanted to be more strategic about our energy use district wide, to look for ways to lower our utility bills, and also increase the comfort of our buildings for our students and staff. During the installation period alone, we’ve incurred energy savings, and we look forward to seeing that savings number grow now that the project is complete.”

Performance contracting offers many long-term benefits for school districts, hospitals and other public entities, such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection. Typically, new, more efficient equipment and upgraded facility automation systems maximize energy efficiency and generate utility savings. Schneider Electric guarantees the amount of savings performance contracting projects will achieve and agrees to pay the difference if that amount is not realized.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] Schneider Electric conducted the design of the project and also served as the general contractor. Glassman Corporation, Building Mechanical and Electrical Services from Hays, Kansas, was the mechanical and base electrical contractor for the installation. Don’s Electric and Rewind located in Ellis, Kansas, conducted the electrical portion of the HVAC controls work. Advanced Lighting from Colwich, Kansas, installed the new lighting fixtures at all three USD 388 buildings.

“Through this performance contract, the school district has been able to implement necessary, wide-scale upgrades that have improved the learning environment for students and is already delivering on energy savings,” said Shon Anderson, vice president of sales for Energy Solutions, Schneider Electric. “The facility staff no longer has to worry about cooling systems failing and dedicating a large amount of time to maintenance. Those issues have been addressed, and staff can now proactively monitor and control conditions in the school district, which will help reduce energy costs and improve comfort.”

About Schneider Electric

As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centers/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, and efficient, the company's 100,000+ employees achieved sales of more than $22 billion in 2009, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations “Make the most of their energy.”  www.schneider-electric.us

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