Seeing the difference on Faribault Daily News

Faribault High School custodian John Orr emerges from the darkness of a hall in the school Tuesday. As part of the Schools for Energy Efficiency program, turning off lights in areas of the schools not in use has become protocol.

cbutler@faribault.com

FARIBAULT — Every light counts.

The second quarter report for the Faribault School District’s involvement with the Schools for Energy Efficiency program is in and coordinator Don Olson said he feels pretty good with the results.

He won’t be complacent, however, as he’s the first to say there is much work yet to be done.

SEE is a comprehensive program to reduce energy use in schools and focuses on changing behavior of students and staff.

The contract costs $70,000 for the first two years, while Olson is paid about $25,000 over the two years as the coordinator.

SEE projects show the district can save about $81,600 each year if they are able to reach the goal of 10 percent reduction in energy use.

Comparing the months of February, March and April 2008 to the corresponding months this year, the district spent nearly $19,000 less on its energy bills.

District Director of Finance and Operations Colleen Mertesdorf said the district spends approximately $800,000 a year on utilities — electricity, natural gas and oil.

The savings is a good start, Olson said, considering energy costs are expected to increase 10 to 15 percent each year.

“You can’t afford to do nothing,” he said.

The district has yet to see its return on investment because of the cost of the program and hiring of Olson, but the idea is to make long-term changes to eventually eclipse the upfront cost.

Should the district remain with the program for five years, it’s estimated $408,000 could be saved in energy costs, while spending about $233,000 to implement the program and pay for Olson’s services for a total of about $175,000 in savings. If the district was able to cut its energy costs by 15 percent, it would save about $378,750.

The first quarter showed a little improvement, Olson said, but said the first year is considered an introduction. Also, with the first quarter covering the winter months and a harsher winter this past year, he said natural gas and oil use was up a little, even if electricity usage was down.

Faribault High School saved nearly $12,000 — about two-thirds the total savings — in energy costs for the second quarter compared to last year.

Part of the savings come at the hands of the custodial staff who met with Olson to discuss options on saving energy.

Building head Hank Helgeson said it has been an enlightening experience thus far.

“It just made us more aware of what’s going on,” he said.

He and his staff no longer leave lights on in areas they are not in, such as the loading dock or mechanical rooms. They also no longer light an entire wing of a school when working, but rather just the room or hallway they are in.

And the cafeteria lights didn’t flicker to life until nearly noon this spring.

“There’s nobody in the cafeteria, so why have the lights on?” Helgeson said.

Much of the high school building is controlled by a master system and Helgeson can set when lights, fans and other services are used. He said by minimizing the time they are used and when they are used, it has helped a lot.

High school custodian John Orr said it has been a huge undertaking, but said, “There’s more to save.”

Helgeson also applauded the interest and advocacy by students in the group Students Aiding the Valuable Earth. He said SAVE had helped generate several ideas to cut energy usage.

Olson said student involvement is the driving force behind the program.

As year two starts in the fall, more interaction with staff and students will begin. This year, posters were hung on walls, literature was passed out and stickers were placed near light switches and computer monitors reminding users to take a second to shut them off.

“It’s hard to be in a room without a reminder of saving energy,” he said.

But as year two rolls in, Olson said groups will be formed in each building to help see up the program and help administer plans. Games and activities will be used to educate students in hopes of not only starting good habits at school, but also habits to take home.

A SEE committee has already been formed with representatives in each building. Those individuals are responsible for helping carry out student groups and education in their building, Olson said.

SEE is a five-year program, but the district is only contracted for the first two years.

District Director of Building and Grounds Kevin Hildebrandt said the success of the program will be evaluated after the second year to see if the district should continue with it.

Olson said if he did his job well, the buildings should be able to continue saving energy with the students and staff and said the program may not be needed beyond the second year.

“Much of what we are doing here should continue on for some time,” he said.

— Staff writer Corey Butler Jr. may be reached at 333-3135.

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