http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120324/NEWS02/703249907
Published March 24, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Efficiency Vermont recognizes Springfield School District
By Christian Avard
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield School District was recognized by Efficiency Vermont recently for energy costs savings acquired from their schools consolidation project.
The school district received an Advanced Buildings Core Performance designation upon the completion of the Elm Hill and Union Street Elementary schools consolidation projects. It was the first school district in Vermont to receive such recognition, according to Efficiency Vermont officials.
“By setting aggressive energy efficiency goals early in the planning stages for the Elm Hill and Union Street Consolidation projects,” said Sandy LaFlamme of Efficiency Vermont, “the Springfield School District and Dore & Whittier Architects achieved the first two Advanced Buildings Core Performance certifications awarded in the state by Efficiency Vermont for K-12 school buildings.”
The Advanced Buildings Core Performance is a “prescriptive program (designed) to achieve energy savings in new construction,” according to Efficiency Vermont. The school district implemented energy efficient strategies in the buildings, the lighting plans, and insulation.
Classrooms were equipped with sensory controlled lighting, tightly-sealed building envelopes were secured and each school saved $4,600 in energy costs, according to Superintendent of Schools Frank Perotti.
“As fuel prices are going and up and up, these schools are our shining stars. We’re really happy about that,” Perotti said. “To know that we’re setting the pace for other schools ... is great.”
The Springfield School District is trying to pass a new school budget after the last one failed at town meeting. Voters rejected the $27 million budget by a 31-vote margin.
The Springfield School District Budget Committee has proposed an additional $153,892 in cuts in school programs, administrative travel expenses and personnel. The School Board will discuss the proposed cuts at special meeting March 27.
Although the proposed school budget increased 3.5 percent from this year’s budget of $26.8 million, Perotti said the proposed school budget would be even higher without the necessary improvements at Elm Hill and Union Street Elementary Schools.
“The savings is substantial. In the long term it’s a big deal,” Perotti said.
And yet we continue to spend money heating a building with very few people in it....
ReplyDelete... and yet the district still won an award, so heating Park Street cannot actually be the big deal you seem to think it is. Overall, we're doing pretty well. At least the state seems to think so. Woohoo!
DeleteGood for the schools. Good for Springfield. Good for Vermont. Good for the planet.
ReplyDeleteGood.
Hey - that's awesome!
ReplyDeleteDid you read the story? It says Elm and Union Schools, which makes sense, they're the newest schools and build well, we hope. If we're they are so proud of Park Street then show us the numbers.
ReplyDeleteRight. It says Elm and Union Schools. You said Park Street. Not me. So . . . you just brought up Park to complain about something? Instead of celebrating what was in the article? Right.
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