TRANE

High-Performance Energy Management for High-Performance Schools

By: Justin Kubly, Trane, Louisville

(NOTE: the following article was submitted by Trane, an engineering firm that has been involved in a number of Kentucky school building and renovation projects.)

School board administrators are confronted with a number of challenges as they strive to establish cost effective, energy efficient learning environments. Pressure to cut operational costs, yet maintain high performance school buildings, has forced school officials to closely scrutinize services and expenditures.

High-performance schools, with properly designed and maintained heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and control systems, improve the learning environment while saving energy, resources and money. A well-designed school can enhance student and teacher performance and make education a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Effective Energy Management

In most U.S. school districts, utilities are the second largest budget item after personnel related items, according to the Department of Energy. In the U.S., this totals more than $6 billion spent on energy by schools nationwide. Unfortunately, about 25 percent of the energy used in a typical school is wasted because of inefficient building systems and operations. This amounts to $1.5 billion annually in the United States – money that could be used to hire approximately 30,000 new teachers.

As public funding grows increasingly limited, school administrators have significant opportunities to pursue innovative design and operating processes to save energy and reduce costs. Improving the efficiency of an HVAC system is one of the easiest ways for schools to increase building energy efficiency, reduce costs and improve the learning environment.

High-Performance Learning Environments

High performance schools are facilities that improve the learning environment while saving energy, resources and money. Creating a high performance school requires an integrated approach to the design process, in order to produce efficiencies that can lead to cost savings. Building systems, such as controls, lighting, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, flooring and ceiling, must be considered together at the beginning of the design process.

High performance schools provide notable benefits, including improved attendance, healthier students and teachers, decreased operating costs, limited liability, and reduced environmental impact. According to the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council, school districts can save 30 to 40 percent on utility costs each year for new schools and 20 to 30 percent on renovated schools by applying sustainable, high performance design and construction concepts.

Benefits of Building Controls

Integrated comfort solutions are a critical element of high-performance school districts. Energy-efficient HVAC and control systems maintain environmental comfort while reducing energy consumption, saving money and improving the school’s indoor environment.

Properly designed, installed, and maintained energy-efficient HVAC products, systems and services keep operating costs low and offer an environmentally responsible solution. Web-based facility management systems are particularly beneficial because they can connect building systems and provide a common view of energy use patterns in multiple schools across a district.

Web-based building automation systems enable better decision making, provide superior performance and easy integration, and are a sound investment for school districts. Web-based building automation systems perform daily operations like reporting on status of buildings, systems and equipment; scheduling by room, building or enterprise; data collection and analysis; troubleshooting; and alarm management. Such systems are well-suited for many school districts because they can optimize critical factors needed to create high-performance classrooms in multiple buildings, including indoor air quality, acoustics and energy efficiency.

New developments in open control systems, or non-proprietary, server-based building automation systems, offer even more benefits, including increased flexibility and tighter energy management. Open control systems are easily integrated into schools’ existing Local Area Network (LAN) to streamline a school districts’ approach to energy management.

Energy Efficiency Tips for Schools

School board administrators can implement HVAC system design elements that reduce the environmental impact of school buildings by managing and reducing energy use. The following are environmentally responsible tips for school administrators considering new HVAC equipment for existing buildings and new construction projects.

Use a life-cycle cost analysis to compare HVAC system choices. As long-term owners, school districts can significantly reduce their overall cost of owning and operating an HVAC system by selecting energy-efficient equipment. In many cases, the first-cost premium for more efficient equipment will be paid back through reduced operating costs in the first year or two.
At startup, carefully inspect the entire air distribution path for leakage and plug all air leaks. Once in operation, recheck the system for leaks annually.
Ensure the HVAC system is thoroughly commissioned prior to occupancy to assure that it operates as the designer intended. Of specific importance is the amount of outdoor ventilation air that is brought into each classroom in all system operating conditions.
Check room thermostats for proper set point, operation and calibration at least twice per year, or utilize programmable thermostats for added efficiency.
Make sure that air openings of HVAC systems are free of obstructions that can starve the affected space of ventilation air and create an unbalanced condition for the entire fan system.
Ensure that building operating and maintenance personnel receive proper training, including refresher courses, to use central energy management or building automation systems effectively.
Inspect and maintain air filters as specified by the equipment manufacturer. Optimally, they should be replaced every three to six months.
Review ventilation set points periodically to assure they match the current occupancy and usage codes of the room.

The Bottom Line on School Energy Use

The U.S. student population is expected to increase by 1.4 million by 2008. The U.S. General Accounting Office estimates that it will cost $73 billion to add new facilities and another $112 billion to bring existing K-12 public schools to proper standards. Now is the time for school board administrators to consider the benefits of a properly designed and maintained HVAC and control system, including improved student performance, classroom comfort, energy efficiency and facility life cycle costs.

As energy costs continue to rise, energy conservation will become increasingly important. As a result, school administrators will be pressured to establish high performance or “sustainable” school buildings that incorporate energy conservation and environmentally sound principles in their design. Fiscally and environmentally responsible HVAC solutions are available to meet the growing needs of school districts dedicated to improving their learning environments for students and teachers.

For more information, contact Justin Kubly at Trane at 502-499-7000 or via email: JKubly@trane.com.

About the Author

Justin Kubly is Trane’s Education Vertical Market Leader, based in Louisville, Kentucky and is responsible for implementing Trane solutions in Kentucky and southern Indiana. Mr. Kubly joined Trane in 2002. His background includes 8 years of performance contracting experience, financial analysis and account management. He earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from Purdue University and is currently earning his MBA from Indiana University. He is also a Certified Energy Manager.

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Kentucky School Boards Association

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