Energy-saving schools

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Local schools are getting greener with each new project.

Construction is now under way at Bradley County's newest school, Park View Elementary, on Minnis Road. It will be the county school system's first geothermal school.

School system Energy Director Johnny Mull said although geothermal costs more up front, it pays off in the long run, especially for a school system that keeps growing, leading to more space to be heated and cooled as energy prices keep rising.

Mr. Mull said the geothermal cost at Park View is being off-set by some excess lottery funds from the state. Last year, in its Energy Efficient Schools Initiative, the state Legislature set aside $90 million from lottery funds for statewide school energy needs.

Bradley County will receive $221,000 from the program, Mr. Mull said, with $183,500 approved to fund Park View's geothermal system.

Bradley County Schools has had an energy conservation program since 1999, Mr. Mull said, saving an estimated $7.5 million over the years in energy costs.

Bradley County has 18 schools plus other facilities to heat and cool. Cleveland City Schools has nine schools plus other spaces.

Cleveland schools began the geothermal push a decade ago with its new middle school. Since then, other city schools have been retro-fitted to geothermal or, in the case of Mayfield Elementary, which opened in 2007, planned from the start.

Currently, geothermal is part of the plan for the Max R. Carroll Science Wing at Cleveland High School, also now under way.

Paul Ramsey, energy director for Cleveland schools, already is counting the savings.

From July 2009 through January 2010, the city system's savings are at $226,856, he said. The actual energy cost for those months was $705,111 compared to the budgeted amount of $931,972.72 for the period, records show.

On Tuesday, the Cleveland Utilities Board learned that eight area schools will be selected to take part in TVA's pilot program -- called Green Schools -- to save energy while teaching conservation.

"TVA is doing a lot to meet their goal to reduce their load by 1,200 megawatts the next three or four years," Cleveland Utilities general manager Tom Wheeler said. "This is a pilot program we wanted to participate in."

Among its other features, the Green Schools program gives students information each month about their school's energy use, giving the students a chance to consider ways they might conserve.

At mid-year, the schools hold meetings in which the students write reports or songs about school conservation, conduct interviews for their in-school television channel, make audit reports and prepare science fair-style projects.

Representatives from local power companies, TVA and the Alliance to Save Energy take part, too.

Cleveland Utilities' Rick Lawson said he will be working with the two local schools directors to name five city or county schools to take part within the Cleveland Utilities distribution area. Three more will be selected from Volunteer Energy Cooperative's distribution area.

Presently 21 schools in Memphis, Knoxville and Johnson City are taking part, Mr. Lawson said.

He has been talking to Mr. Mull at the county and Mr. Ramsey in Cleveland about the program, which he said he hopes will begin next school year.

The pilot program will be at no local cost because TVA will foot the bill, Mr. Lawson said.