Hen Hud Conservation Program Will Save Energy Dollars

From the The Hendrick Hudson School District Board of Education and district administration have taken a proactive step in good stewardship of budgeted funds and energy by embarking on a comprehensive energy conservation and management program with Energy Education. The award-winning company’s energy conservation programs have saved more than $2.8 billion for educational and ministerial organizations across the nation. 

In the coming weeks, the Hendrick Hudson School District will begin a search for an Energy Education Specialist (EES), to oversee the district’s energy use and help educate district staff and students about energy conservation. The EES will receive intensive training from Energy Education energy consultants to implement conservation procedures in all facilities. The EES, will conduct energy audits to ensure students and teachers are comfortable during class time and scheduled activities, and energy is used only as necessary. Energy Education Specialists are responsible for helping to motivate everyone in the system to use energy wisely, keep classrooms comfortable, and practice smart energy strategies — ensuring that Energy Education’s Transformational Energy Management^® process is implemented throughout the system. This powerful, proven process turns recommendations into real savings, changing consumption behavior by focusing on four critical components:

1. Assessment + Planning
2. Coordination + Communication
3. Leadership + Focus
4. Measurement + Verification

Over the next four years, the EES will work closely with Energy Education’s consultants, receiving hands-on training and program supervision. Energy Education’s comprehensive support ensures that all components of the plan are implemented and creates an action plan for the system to follow. Every energy use point throughout the organization is analyzed, with continual follow up to ensure that energy is used as necessary, but never wasted in classrooms, offices, athletic facilities, kitchens, or other areas of the system. Through the program, system facilities will be audited throughout the year during different times of the day and night to ensure that energy-saving practices are in place. The EES ensures all equipment is operating as intended, and motivates other system personnel to follow the program’s guidelines. The EES will analyze optimum practices for heating and air conditioning systems, ventilation rates, periods of occupancy, humidity, transition to unoccupied buildings, circulation pumps, and more. The program is designed to preserve comfortable environments during class and scheduled activities.

 Energy Education’s consultants cover the range of energy conservation specialties — engineers, certified energy managers, boiler specialists, heating-ventilation-air-conditioning experts, measurement and verification professionals, grounds care, organizational behavior, and more. They make frequent training and implementation visits as needed for maximum savings.

According to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel McCann “Over the last several years we have taken important steps to conserve energy to reduce its impact on our operating budget. The time has arrived for us to take an even more indepth look at our energy use across our entire organization. This organizational behavior-based program helps us save using the systems and personnel already in place. Every dollar we don’t spend on energy is a dollar we save for educational purposes.”

All costs of the Energy Education program come from the system’s existing utility budget, with savings projected to more than pay for the program. Additional savings can be reserved for other parts of the budget. Many organizations have credited this program with helping keep personnel and maintain programs that otherwise would have fallen victim to budget cuts. In addition, Energy Education provides free support after the paid term of the contract, as long as the system continues to implement the program. The energy savings continue for many years.

 Energy Education’s innovative Transformational Energy Management^® process trains client personnel to implement behavioral and organizational change that substantially reduces energy consumption without the purchase of new equipment. The program is funded solely and rapidly by the savings it generates, allowing clients to reserve saved energy dollars for other priorities. Energy Education earned the 2011 and 2012 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and was named ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for 2009 and 2010. In 26 years, the company has worked with more than 1,200 educational and ministerial organizations, helping clients save over $2.8 billion in utility costs.