School district saving money, energy

posted October 23, 2006

by Nina Gertsvolf of Campanile

The Palo Alto Unified School District is looking at new ways to conserve energy at Palo Alto High School.

Palo Alto High School has already taken a number of steps to help reduce its energy usage and significantly reduce costs.

Jerry Matranga, associate superintendent of business services for PAUSD, said Palo Alto High School has decreased electricity consumption by 25 percent and natural gas by 33 percent largely because of energy management systems put in place from 2005-2006.

Lighting replacements in many buildings have also helped to use energy more effectively.The administration is also considering expanding the energy management systems to the schools' portable classrooms. These heating and ventilation operating systems run automatically with light and occupancy sensors that can use energy more efficiently.

"We're pulling together a comprehensive energy reduction program," Matranga said.

The energy conservation program has three main components: faculty design, operations of faculties and behavior.

PAUSD is planning on constructing new buildings with energy conservation in mind.

More effective energy management can help facilities operate in a resourceful way.

Students at Paly can also change habits to help reduce energy.

In terms of faculty design, PAUSD is planning to construct new buildings and improve old ones to improve cost efficiency.

For example, PAUSD has already had lighting retro-fits in many classrooms that use energy for lighting more efficiently.

New buildings will also have insulation installed to keep rooms cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

The district is also looking at the possibility of installing solar panels in new buildings for cooling and heating.

Energy usage levels will go decrease if the facilities are used more efficiently.

"Pool covers alone save $50,000 a year on average within the Palo Alto Unified School District," Matranga said.

Things as simple as not running the air conditioning and opening a window or turning the lights off in rooms unoccupied can have a significant impact on the energy bill.

Building occupants' habits greatly affects the amount of energy consumed. Paly alone has a $500,000 utility bill.

Matranga thinks that it is apparent that faculty and students need to learn about what needs to be done to help the environment. Raising awareness on campus can help reduce unnecessary expenditures, as well as save money for schools.

"We have budgets for each school, and if a school creates an energy conservation program and does not go over the budget, then half the savings will go to the school," Matranga said. "We would like to use this as an incentive for schools to save energy."

Matranga is hopeful for the district for the district and their environmental goals.

"The key thing is not to try to do everything at once, but to try and do whatever it makes sense to accomplish, step by step," Matranga said.