Page 31 - School Planning & Management, March 2019

Keyed access. Jason Miller, energy manager
at Davidson County Schools, in North Caro-
lina, monitors a facility’s heating system from
his desk. School districts have learned that employing mechanical controls technicians and energy managers in their facilities operation is essential for maintaining the learning environ- ment, protecting buildings, and reducing overall operational costs. But, maintenance technicians who work with automated controls know very well that what they see on their computer screen does not always match actual conditions on site.
an overlooked schedule. In any case, the energy manager is able to document the circumstances and hopefully have the issue addressed. Otherwise, equipment is left to run needlessly resulting in higher utility bills.
An essential element of all programs
of this type involves a database system to collect valuable information from utility bills. By entering data from utility invoices into an energy monitoring and tracking software, energy managers are able to analyze energy usage as well as cost for each facility. By looking at cost per square foot, comparing schools within the district or comparing current use and cost to previ- ous time periods, the energy manager can focus on specific circumstances that may need to be addressed by the school staff or the maintenance department.
Energy conservation programs typically extend to water/sewer utilities in school facilities. Watching the monthly bills a little closer may reveal costly problems for school districts. Water leaks may go unno- ticed for months and in some cases years in the event school staff or maintenance can- not see evidence of the leak. Water may be finding a path to a storm drain or a sewer connection. Over time, the monthly invoice
for water/sewer services, (including the leak) establishes a new norm and escapes notice by accounting. In many districts, the facilities department never sees the water bill, and without a comparative basis for normal usage, responsible staff members would probably not realize abnormal water usage. Many public utilities are willing to provide a credit adjustment to the water and/or sewer account of clients who have experienced an abnormal situation involv- ing the loss of metered water.
Another important consideration related to controls for water systems relates to irrigation for school athletic facilities. There are recognizable issues regarding the frequency and amount of watering particularly in relation to rain- fall. Upon review of monthly water/sewer invoices, energy managers often notice public school irrigation systems receiving sewer charges because the line is not sub- metered. A typical high school may incur as much as $10,000 to $15,000 a year in sewer charges for watering the grass. While there is an upfront cost for setting a separate meter and establishing a “water only” account, the payback period is typi- cally less than a year.
Schools buildings must provide com-
fortable, safe spaces for children and staff during the day and effectively reduce the use of electricity, fuel, water, and sewer when the building is empty. To the extent possible, we can rely on building automation systems to optimize equipment operation. We can also depend on building occupants to report problems with equipment during the school day. A successful program must also pay close attention to the detailed information contained in monthly utility invoices and routinely perform site inspection in all buildings when they are unoccupied. One of the most effective ways this may be accom- plished is by employing one or more energy managers assigned to work closely with maintenance. When equipment issues are identified and corrected early on, the district can save major replacement expenses, reduce downtime, and substantially lower utilityexpenses. SPM
>>Andrew LaRowe is president of EduCon Energy Inc. located in Winston Salem, N.C. He can be reached at alarowe@educonenergy.com. Mike Raible is founder and CEO of The School Solutions Group in Charlotte, NC and the author of “Every Child, Every Day: Achieving Zero Dropouts Through Performance-Based Education” He can be reached at mkraible@theschoolsolutionsgroup.com.
MARCH 2019 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 31