Energy Upgrades Coming to Gloucester Twp., Schools

The Township Council has advanced a joint energy-savings plan that will result in new boilers, new windows and technology upgrades in township and Black Horse Pike Regional High School buildings over the past six weeks.

Council on May 21 unanimously approved the sale of $1.985 million in general obligation refunding bonds to New York City firm Raymond James & Associates Inc. to advance the Energy Savings Improvement Plan (ESIP) project, which was approved by the state Local Finance Board in April, officials said.

On Wednesday night, Council by straw poll gave consent to engineering consultant Remington & Vernick Engineers and Concord Engineering, which conducted an energy audit on the seven township buildings and three BHPRSD high schools, to move forward with preparing bid and proposal specifications for the ESIP project.

"We are on the cutting edge of various things. ...That's great stuff," Councilman Dan Hutchison said Wednesday of the ESIP project. "I'm confident there are not very many towns in New Jersey that are doing what we are doing, governmentally."

New boilers will be installed in Highland and Triton high schools and one township building under the proposal.

Mayor David Mayer noted during Wednesday's meeting that motion detectors will be installed in buildings to assure lights are not on, using electricity, when rooms are unoccupied. The project will also result in energy-efficient windows being installed at various facilities.

The township has floated a $2.25 million bond to pay for the township-BHPRSD ESIP project. The school district will rent the equipment to be installed in its schools over the next 15 years in order to refund the township its share of the project cost—a number that is yet to be determined.

Council approved the bond ordinance at its April 23 session.

As the township and BHPRSD have advanced their ESIP project, the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced last week it is moving forward with an $8 million ESIP project for the Camden County Technical Schools' Pennsauken and Gloucester Township campuses.

County officials estimate the improvements to the two schools will bring $12 million in energy savings over the next 15 years.

“This goes to further Camden County’s commitment to saving taxpayers’ money and making needed infrastructure improvements,” said Freeholder Ian Leonard, liaison to the Camden County Technical School, in a statement “These types of projects save tax dollars immediately based on the energy-efficiency components and create long-term savings based on their effectiveness.”

Camden County Technical Schools has contracted with Honeywell International to implement the improvements.

County officials expect an energy audit will identify more than 20 projects ranging from major HVAC improvements and window replacements to minor equipment and lighting modifications. 

These improvements will vary by individual campus needs. The Pennsauken campus building was built in 1920, while the Gloucester Township campus was constructed in the '60s.