District 204 realizing early energy, cost savings

With the help of an energy-savings contractor, Indian Prairie Unit District 204 has reduced its energy consumption since November by nearly 16 percent, or the equivalent of 7.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide or taking 643 cars off the road.

The district signed a five-year contract last year worth $1.9 million with Aramark Education, aimed at cutting the district's energy bills by as much as $3 million during that time.

In addition to the energy savings, Aramark is providing the district with another $384,000 in benefits. Over the life of the contract, the district expects to gain about $1.5 million, or more if current trends continue.

Aramark Energy Manager Michael Paparella told district officials Monday that the program already is ahead of schedule, having saved $506,010 in electricity, natural gas and water costs since November. About $405,000 of that savings covers the first year of the contract, leaving the district a net savings, so far, of $100,980.

"We've cut consumption by 15.6 percent in those nine months so those savings are only going to increase over time," he said. "The goal for the first year was $400,000 in savings and we're $100,000 above that with three months to go."

To get there, Paparella said, he and his staff studied and optimized the computerized systems that run all the equipment and lighting in each of the district's 35 buildings by setting the systems at one uniform temperature and time schedule. Gymnasium lighting also was retrofitted with more efficient systems in seven schools.

"After the ramp-up where we go after the low-hanging fruit, we'll focus on what can be done to bring up older schools by either retrofitting or looking at new technologies out there and combine those two to make them even more efficient," Paparella said. "That can be as simple as (installing) a photo cell for lighting controls or as sophisticated as replacing the entire computer system that runs the school."

By the end of the contract, he said, all of the district's systems would be unified into one remote or Internet-based system to make it easier to access.

Superintendent Kathryn Birkett said she was very happy with the first "energy program report card."

"To be able to have good news where we've actually saved more money than we believed we were going to going in is very nice for us," she said.

Finance Director Dave Holm said electricity trends also appear to be helping the district save.

"These numbers are based on consumption but we're also seeing some pretty good pricing for energy as well," he said. "So our budget for utilities right now is better than we anticipated."

All savings generated through the program are part of the $21.4 million in cuts the district made to balance next year's budget.

The goal is to have enough energy-saving plans ready to go so the district can apply for federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as they get appropriated.