CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The energy conservation program at Cleveland City Schools is only a few months old but it’s already paying off, said Paul Ramsey, who leads the effort.
In its first eight months, the energy conservation and management program has saved more than $253,000, Mr. Ramsey told Cleveland Board of Education members Monday. He said he hopes to see $400,000 in total savings, out of an energy budget of $1.5 million, by the end of the year.
That’s the equivalent, he said, of five teaching positions, taking 127 vehicles off the road or planting 27,432 trees.
The program is a partnership with Energy Education, a national conservation consultant. It began by establishing a baseline of energy use to track the results of conservation, whether from geothermal heating and cooling of buildings to such small but significant efforts as turning off lights in unused rooms, he said.
“Custodians are a very important part of this,” Mr. Ramsey said.
“What is neat is the buy-in from the students,” board member Dawn Robinson said. “We are all more aware than we used to be (of the need to conserve). But students are really aware.”
Board members asked about savings from geothermal systems. Arnold and Mayfield elementaries, Cleveland Middle and Cleveland High are the baseline schools, Mr. Ramsey said.
ENERGY WORKSHOPS SETA free, one-day workshop on April 27 for K-12 schools officials will focus on developing energy-management plans to reduce costs. The Department of Economic and Community Development is partnering with TVA and the Tennessee Energy Efficient Schools Initiative to produce the workshop.Attendees can choose from two tracks:energy management or energy education. For information and registration, visit www.regonline.com/needchattanooga.
A field of geothermal wells is being built for Cleveland High School’s future science wing.
“I can tell you the four schools cheapest to heat and cool are our geothermal schools,” Mr. Ramsey said.
Board member Dr. Murl Dirksen said the board could discuss reinvesting money saved from energy costs into more conservation efforts, such as more weatherstripping.
But Mr. Ramsey said saving money is not the program’s first goal. The goals in order of priority are comfort, safety and reducing energy waste which, in turn, saves money, he said.
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