SEMP

 

October 2018 

By Madelynn Coldiron
Staff writer

Capacitors, peak hours and off-peak hours are not terms educators learn in training – but KSBA’s School Energy Managers Project has raised awareness among school district personnel of these and other energy-efficiency terms, Pikeville Independent Superintendent Jerry Green said.

“It has helped us significantly in the way that we monitor our energy consumption and we evaluate budgetary expenditures,” he said. “It’s caused everyone to think about things that maybe they wouldn’t have before.”

Though SEMP ended on Aug. 31, Green thinks those lessons will live on as the district continues to monitor its energy consumption and use the data to guide facility decisions. 

 

Jon Nipple, project manager for KSBA’s School Energy Managers Project, is also optimistic. He recited a phrase Tom Peters, business management guru, often uses: “What gets measured, gets done.” 

“If you don’t measure it, it won’t get done, and I think that applies to this program,” Nipple said. “I really think where there’s traction, it will keep going.” 

The project started in 2010 with a $5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant and a partnership with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet providing funding for a network of school district energy managers across the state undergirded by SEMP staff. 

But that funding and subsequent funding from the state and several utility companies as part of rate settlement cases is no longer available. KSBA, however, plans to continue representing districts’ interests through training and intervention in utility rate cases.

“KSBA is proud of what the SEMP project has accomplished over the last eight years and while we are disappointed that the funding is no longer available, we are confident that districts will continue to build on the foundation these grants provided,” said KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling. “SEMP created an incredible opportunity for our member districts to receive education and funding, and it was a privilege to be part of it.”

District personnel and energy managers put that education to good use. Since 2010, Kentucky school districts racked up $225 million in cumulative avoided costs. The number of Kentucky ENERGY STAR-certified schools rose from 12 in 2008 to 445 this year, ranking third in the nation, percentage-wise.

Rapid results, continued savings
Seeing immediate results from an energy manager was the key to getting the movement off the ground, said SEMP Director Ron Willhite. Managers quickly uncovered utility billing and rate errors, tracked usage, and implemented efficiencies, later advising school boards on making investments in equipment, such as LED lighting and smart HVAC systems.

The savings the project spurred have also come through a mindset change, said Lyon County Superintendent Russ Tilford, whose district shares an energy manager with McCracken, Livingston and Ballard county districts.

“Investing money to save money has become kind of a common thought here, by upgrading our equipment to more energy-efficient when we had the opportunity,” he said. “So, it’s not just the culture, it’s that mindset of being willing to invest in new technology to save money in the long run.”

Energy savings both short- and long-term can go directly to the classroom, Green noted, pointing out that utilities represent the second-largest expense for most school districts. 

“Every penny we save on our second-largest expenditure can be spent improving student achievement,” he said.

School boards also embraced the cost-saving opportunities, Willhite said.

The SEMP team was a big help to David Dobbins, who has been energy manager for the partnership that includes Lyon County Schools for the past five years. 

“They were really a huge resource in getting me started and getting me off the ground and running on things I needed to do from a day-to-day operations standpoint,” he said. During its eight-year run, 144 school districts took advantage of SEMP training. 

Martha Casher, SEMP’s energy services manager, said the project’s role evolved from training energy managers to advising district personnel, such as facility directors and finance officers, on the increasingly complex array of products and services offered in the name of energy savings. 

In more recent years, the role included what Willhite calls “keeping some pressure on (districts) from a centralized source,” through competitions like Kentucky’s Battle of the School Buildings – the first such state-level event in the nation – and recognitions for ENERGY STAR certification.

SEMP also verified and collated the annual energy management reports districts are required by law and board policy to send to the Legislative Research Commission and Energy and Environment Cabinet. Districts will now submit those to the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center at the University of Louisville. Reports should be emailed to [email protected] by Oct. 19.

It’s uncertain how many energy managers will remain in place once funding through the remaining utility settlements is gone. There are currently 48 managers; nine of those providing energy management services through a partnership of districts. 

Willhite hopes districts have gained “a level of awareness and skill sets to move forward” without SEMP’s resources, but acknowledged that may be a challenge in districts without energy managers. 

On the plus side, there is “a whole focus on energy now” nationwide, he noted, and it will be up to energy-aware school boards to keep that focus going forward.

 

Board View: Sustain the energy saving momentum 

Kenton County school board Chairman Carl Wicklund said districts are at a critical point with energy management and it is important they don’t falter.

“We’ve done probably the best job moving forward as a state and that’s obvious because we’ve gotten awards,” he said. “Now that we don’t have the support group, how do I sustain that momentum? It is sustainable, but we don’t want to lose any of that drive going forward.“ 

Wicklund said his concern is long term. 

“I do believe the energy managers we’ve got are capable and, in the short term, will do a good job,” he said. “I also believe the energy managers will pay their own salary, but I know it will be a struggle for them if they have to do it alone.” 

Wicklund worries that by having only one energy manager in a district and no outside help, managers will struggle. 

“Where do they find the time to learn the new things and who do they collaborate with to find the new things?” he said. 

With less support from outside and more attractive prospects in the private sector, Wicklund said districts could lose managers then fail to replace them. 

“It’s a sad day for education because energy management seems to be a key component that allows school districts to improve classroom funding by using the employees and the students to help manage that sector of their costs,” he said. “It’s also one that technology is going to continue to drive forward, so there’s always going to be opportunities.”