The Franklin Special School District began its energy management program less than three years ago and in that time has saved over $1 Million. FSSD partnered with Cenergistic to follow best practices and the result is a 20-30 percent savings.
“All district employees, along with the Director of Schools and School Board members, have been fully committed to the success of the program. Over the course of three years, the FSSD has reduced its greenhouse gas output by 30,879 MMBTU. This net effect is equivalent to taking 1,016 cars off the roads for one full year or planting 144,773 trees over 10 years,” said a recent release.
Last year, the FSSD was recognized as a 2012 Top Performer by ENERGY STAR, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. “Passing the $1 million mark is a significant milestone. Franklin Special Schools has achieved this level of success by consistently implementing the behavioral approach to energy conservation and maintaining productive efforts at all levels of the organization. The leadership, along with other administration and staff members are to be commended for clearly fulfilling their commitment to being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and the environment,” said Dr. William S. Spears, Cenergistic Founder and Chairman.
District Energy Education Specialist Jeff Collins ensures the program is working at full efficiency, implementing conservation procedures in all of the system’s facilities. He conducts energy audits to ensure that students and teachers are comfortable during class times and scheduled activities, and that energy is used only as necessary. He works to motivate everyone in the district to use energy wisely, keep classrooms comfortable, and practice smart energy strategies. The program is funded solely and rapidly by the savings it generates, allowing clients to redirect saved energy dollars to other priorities. “This energy program is an excellent vehicle to assist our district personnel in practicing good stewardship of our resources. The willing participation of virtually every staff person – teachers, administrators, food service, maintenance and custodial people – adds to our success,” said Director of Schools Dr. David Snowden.
