Hires a company to do system optimization
While Greene County Schools students and staff are on a week-long break in March, experts from Optimized Systems of Johnston will be in the high school examining all parts of the HVAC system. Their goal will be to reduce energy consumption. Energy costs for the high school were more than $200,000 in 2022-23. They’re projected to reach nearly $260,000 in 2023-24.
School superintendent Brett Abbotts shared information about “the enormity of what we face every month when we look at what it costs to turn our lights on,” at the school board’s regular meeting Feb. 14.
For the 2020-21 school year, energy costs were $376,929. The cost increased to $430,257 for 2021-22 (a 14 percent increase equal to the cost of a second year teacher), and then to $476,871 for 2022-23 (an 11 percent increase, equal to the cost of a first year teacher).
The district has already paid $241,362 this year. Abbotts extended that to a total of $591,271 for the current year. That’s a 24 percent increase, equal to the cost of 2.3 first year teachers.
The high school accounts for 44 percent of the total cost. The extended energy cost there for this year is $259,172.
Abbotts said he discussed the high energy costs at the high school with OPN Architects and Modus Engineering, the companies that did the design of the building and HVAC systems, asking about ways to improve internal controls of the system. He was referred to Optimized Systems.
Rick Kmiecik and Nick Terhall of that company presented to the board a mechanical system optimization plan. Kmiecik explained that optimization is about “making your building perform as effectively and efficiently as possible for what you have.”
He said buildings now have so many high tech features in their HVAC systems that “if you don’t know computers and you don’t know programming, there’s not a lot you can do,” referring to typical maintenance staffs.
The optimization process includes meeting the staff and getting to know the facility and its challenges; inspecting and testing all pieces of equipment; correcting any deficiencies; and rethinking or reprograming how the system works.
“We don’t expect to find a bunch of (broken) stuff here because of the age, but I guarantee there’s stuff that fails,” Kmiecik said.
Terhall has looked closely at energy usage compared to the square feet in the building and said it was “above the median, but not super high. There are definitely opportunities for improvement, but we’re not saying the sky is falling.”
For example, when he visited the school Monday, the chilled water system was running to cool the building. “We can make it not do that anymore,” he said.
Exterior doors not shutting efficiently has been a problem since the building opened. Terhall told Abbotts that’s because the building was opened during the Covid-19 pandemic. The rate of air exchange was set high to keep air circulating. The air pressure in the building is so high the doors don’t close, but staff doesn’t know how to reset that.
The optimization process will result in all systems being set correctly, along with staff training. Additionally, Optimized Systems will write an easy-to-understand manual for staff and a checklist of which systems need to be checked at what times.
The board approved hiring Optimized Systems at a cost of $60,415, not including the cost of resolving any deficiencies found. The cost will come from the district’s physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) fund.
Abbotts also provided information about the cost of installing solar energy systems at the three schools. Atwood Energy Services of Sigourney provided estimated project costs totaling $3.8 million, with estimated savings of $10.9 million over the life of the panels. Annual savings were projected at $213,444, which Abbotts translated into the cost of four first year teachers.
He provided three possible ways to pay for the project, with his preferred choice being notes against the PPEL. PPEL notes require only a vote of the board, with no increase to taxes. The district could borrow up to $6.5 million in PPEL notes.
Energy costs come from the district’s general fund, the same budget that covers teachers’ salaries and other costs of educating students. Using PPEL funds to realize savings in energy costs would take some pressure off the general fund.
The discussion of a solar project was informational only. No action was taken.
