With energy costs rising, and increasing pressure to improve performance and reduce costs, schools are looking for additional ways to reduce their energy consumption and implement renewable energy projects. Many schools in Michigan have made advances in improving the energy efficiency of their buildings, but there are many ways to do so, and even ways to harness renewable energy like the sun, wind, and Earth for electricity, light, heating and cooling.
Energy costs now account for the second highest school expense nationally (next to salaries). In response, MSBO has been making energy efficiency and renewable energy a priority issue for its members. MSBO has information and resources on energy efficiency and renewable energy on their “Energy Management/Energy Essentials” web pages. In March of this year, MSBO hosted an “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Michigan Schools” workshop at Lansing Community College. Over 60 people attended the event, which featured 11 speakers on energy efficiency and renewable energy project opportunities, and displays by 9 renewable energy and energy efficiency technology vendors.
Energy efficiency….what’s next?
Opportunities for energy efficiency projects in schools go well beyond changing light bulbs and upgrading HVAC systems. Energy efficiency technologies are available that can significantly reduce overall energy use and cost for schools, as well as offering opportunities for improving the learning environment and integrating energy savings with school curriculum.
“Daylighting” buildings with highly efficient windows and skylight technology, for example, reduces lighting needs and allows for downsized HVAC systems. As an additional benefit, studies have shown that daylight may significantly increase students’ test scores and promote better health and physical development, and can be attained without an increase in school construction or maintenance costs.
Other energy efficiency technologies that reduce energy use by minimizing electricity waste and improving system performance include:
- Energy efficient transformers that reduce energy loss. Upgrading to more efficient transformers can decrease energy use by as much as 50-70% over the life of the system, with average payback under 3 years.
- Lighting voltage regulators that reduce energy use by allowing existing lighting fixtures to run cooler and longer.
- Reactive power correcting technologies that improve motor function and thus reduce energy use.
- Sine wave inverters or correctors that improve the quality of electricity, reduce wear on equipment, and improve use of renewable energy.
These technologies can also create learning opportunities for students by participating in the project development and monitoring changes in building electrical use.
Renewable Energy All Around Us
While many schools are familiar with energy efficiency technologies and the potential for significant cost savings, fewer school administrators and facility managers understand the benefits of renewable energy technologies, or are aware of the wide range of cost-effective renewable energy technologies that are available right now. Renewable energy projects in schools make excellent showcases for displaying the benefits of alternative sources of energy – not only for the schools’ students, but for the entire community.
Renewable energy projects fall into two categories:
- Projects that generate electricity to be used on site or sold back to the electrical grid.
- Projects that reduce the need for energy purchase by using renewable resources for lighting, heating and/or cooling.
- Solar photovoltaic and wind turbine systems are perhaps the most well known renewable energy technologies. These are both still relatively expensive compared to grid-supplied electricity, but they provide substantial educational benefits – incorporating the technology into science, math, language, and arts curriculum that teach students about the role of renewable energy in meeting our energy needs. In addition, federal and state funding for such projects is available to help demonstrate the effectiveness of these technologies and build a market for them.
In addition to these traditional renewable energy technologies, there are several other renewable energy technologies that offer significant benefits for reducing fossil fuel energy needs in a very cost-effective manner:
- Innovative solar hot water heating technologies that are compact, cost-effective, and available pre-assembled with easy installation.
- Passive solar space heating that circulates air past a solar heat surface(s) and through the building by convection. No mechanical equipment is needed for passive solar heating.
- Active solar space heating technology that uses solar collectors, fans, and pumps to circulate warm air. These systems reduce heating needs and improve air quality.
- Geothermal heating and cooling technology that uses the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature. Geothermal systems use 25-50% less electricity than traditional air-source heat systems, require smaller HVAC systems, and are extremely quiet.
- Hybrid PV systems that use both ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers and crystalline silicon cells, thereby increasing efficiency.
Ready for You
The time is ripe for schools to more seriously evaluate options for deploying energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. These technologies are available and ready to deploy in schools now. Energy costs will continue to rise in the future, and schools will be under increasing pressure to reduce facility costs. Advances in technology have made energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies increasingly cost-effective. Schools are the perfect place to deploy these technologies and teach Michigan’s students and communities about the benefits and availability of alternative energy sources.
Examples of School Efficiency and Renewable Projects:
- Monroe County Intermediate School District is in the process of installing almost 200 tubular daylight pipes and an evacuated tube solar hot water heating system at its Education Center. The daylight pipes will use the sun to light all of the offices and classrooms. The hot water system will heat 320 gallons of hot water for the building on an average daily basis. The District estimates the systems will pay for themselves in less than 5 years.
- Wilson Middle School, the City of Wyandotte, CRESIT Energy, and Johnson Controls partnered to install a 10 kW solar array at the middle school to generate electricity. The solar array will save the school about $2,000 a year. The project will be incorporated into the middle school curriculum, and will be a showcase for the entire community of the feasibility of renewable energy projects.
Shepherd Advisors is a management consulting firm.