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A. Facilities Planning and Construction
B. Maintenance
C. Custodial Operations
D. Energy Management

FINDING

The deputy superintendent for Administration and Operations serves as the district's energy manager. He is paid an additional $9,000 per year to provide this service, usually on the weekends or evenings. In that role, the deputy superintendent administers the program, maintains records and data, monitors compliance, conducts regular audits of facilities, and reviews billings for accuracy.

MPISD began its energy management program in 1991 when it first contracted with Energy Education. The focus of the district's program is educating people of the importance of turning off devices or lights when not in use.

Since the program's inception, MPISD has added hundreds of computers in classrooms and labs, networked the entire district, purchased new walk-in freezers at each campus, added portable buildings, added more than 40 new utility meters and additional air conditioning and heating units, and completed renovations at several facilities.

In 1997, the district upgraded its heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at the high school and middle school. Work at the middle school also included a lighting retrofit. MPISD entered into a performance contract with a vendor, Control Systems International, that has installed equipment to monitor and control building temperatures and has enabled MPISD to lower its utility costs sufficiently to pay for the new system. Upcoming lighting retrofits at the intermediate and high schools scheduled for this year are guaranteed by contract to save the district an additional $36,000 per year in the future.

The district has a two-year plan to improve its HVAC system at several schools (Exhibit 5-10). District official have indicated that performance contracting will be explored to guarantee energy savings for those projects.

The utility costs for each of the cost centers included in the program are included in Exhibit 5-18 for the past three years.

Exhibit 5-18
MPISD Utility Costs By Cost Center
1995-96 - 1997-98
Cost Center Annual Utility Costs
  1995-96 1996-97 1997-98
Mt. Pleasant High School $210,635 $193,037 $198,986
Mt. Pleasant Junior High School N/A $22,004 $75,773
Wallace Middle School $64,978 $63,526 $55,736
Corprew Intermediate School $72,046 $85,643 $69,592
Brice Elementary School $26,297 $24,935 $26,481
Fowler Elementary School $37,933 $36,207 $38,380
Sims Elementary School $31,101 $31,201 $32,663
Central Support Services Building $14,267 $14,822 $15,264
Special Education Building $3,634 $3,620 $4,635
Tiger Stadium $13,056 $16,615 $9,748
Mt. Pleasant Security Lights $3,856 $3,854 $3,852
Child Development Center N/A $N/A $6,156
Warehouse $16,620 $6,479 $6,880
Source: MPISD records.

Energy experts estimate the appropriate level for school district energy costs per square foot at $1 or less. For 1997-98, the utility cost per square foot averaged $0.72 (Exhibit 5-19). Considering the age of the facilities, this is a remarkably low total.

Exhibit 5-19
MPISD Utility Costs Per Square Foot
1997-98
Facility Square Footage Utility Cost Cost Per Square Foot
Mt. Pleasant High School 257,711 $198,986 $0.77
Mt. Pleasant Junior High School 100,029 $75,773 $0.76
Wallace Middle School 112,042 $55,736 $0.50
Corprew Intermediate School 94,149 $69,592 $0.74
Fowler Elementary School 48,042 $26,481 $0.55
Sims Elementary School 44,692 $38,380 $0.86
Brice Elementary School 42,684 $32,663 $0.77
Central Support Services Building 17,320 $15,264 $0.88
Special Education Building 4,131 $4,635 $1.12
Warehouse 9,416 $6,880 $0.73
Total 730,216 $524,390 $0.72
Source: MPISD records.

MPISD uses the Fast Accounting System for Energy Reporting (FASER)/Baseline Cost Avoidance Energy Management System to analyze its utility consumption and cost. Since 1995-96, MPISD has avoided $534,055 in energy costs or an average of $178,000 per year (Exhibit 5-20). Cost avoidance is determined by applying the current utility rate schedule to the base year consumption of energy, i.e., the year prior to establishing an energy management program. This baseline is then used to determine the overall cost avoidance in future years. This cost avoidance has been accomplished through planning and organizing an effective program, maintaining thorough records and data, monitoring compliance with program guidelines, conducting routine audits of facilities, ensuring proper rate schedules and accurate billings, requesting appropriate refunds, and providing feedback on the success of the program.

Exhibit 5-20
MPISD Utility Cost Avoidance
1996-96 -1997-98
Year Cost Avoidance
1997-98 $212,425
1996-97 $184,692
1995-96 $136,938
Source: MPISD.

COMMENDATION

The district has established an innovative energy management program that has successfully reduced costs.