Category Archives: Energy Education Programs

Energy Education in the New York Times

As energy costs are dramatically rising, schools are looking to cut their annual utility bills by hiring top energy consultants, one of which is Energy Education.  In a recent article in the New York Times, they highlight the top consultants that are helping school cut back on their costs.  Energy Education uses a checklist of 1,200 items — and then custom-design conservation programs.  Such programs have helped NYC schools decrease their spending by 20-60%.  These savings also help foot the cost of expensive equipment that need to be invested in, which gets paid back in a short amount of time – and then the savings start to add up, winning many of these school districts the coveted Energy Star Award.

Excerpt from the article:
“Schools, once known as energy wasters, are embracing conservation in increasing numbers. A desire to practice the environmentally friendly principles discussed in classrooms has been heightened by soaring energy costs and tighter budgets. With the help of a growing industry of energy consultants, school officials are evaluating every detail of their daily operations, like the temperature of the swimming pool and the amount of electricity the cafeteria ovens use, and are replacing energy-guzzling equipment with more efficient models.

In Yonkers, the improvements included replacing Lincoln High School’s 60-year-old boilers, which guzzled 137,500 gallons of heating oil a year — “so much fuel that it seemed like we had oil trucks parked out front,” said John Carr, the executive director of school facilities in Yonkers. The new boilers burn only 80,000 gallons.”

Check out the original Energy Education NY Times article.

“Lights Out” In Energy-Saving Michigan Schools

A new report from Energy Education in Dallas says that Michigans’ Lowell Schools saved 43 percent on energy over the course of 85 months. How? For one, by turning off the lights, one of the first things schools that partner with Energy Ed learn to do as a way to cut energy usage and reduce utility costs.

“Making sure you understand about lighting, computers, anything that plugs in that’s electrical,” said Jim White, energy manager for Lowell Public Schools, in an interview with Wyoming’s WZZM 13. “And then we move to more sophisticated areas like how buildings are managed when no one’s around. Like heating, lighting and air conditioning.”

The Lowell schools have managed to save $3,751,669 so far. The district with the next best savings is Jenison, which cut down on its energy use by 33 percent and saved more than $2 million over 69 months. Other Michigan schools have been following in their energy-saving footsteps, however, and several districts aren’t far behind when it comes to energy cutbacks. Cedar Springs School District has saved $1.2 million in just 73 months, and Forest Hills School District reports a savings of 25 percent, which equals an impressive $3,145,332 in only 56 months.

Energy Education Inc. Large Churches: Savings for Ministry

Energy Educaiton Inc. has been working with larger churches since 2006.  Large churches spending in excess of $750,000 for thier utility costs are eligible for Energy Education Inc.’s services; who have the ability to reduce thier energy spending by 20-30%. 

If you would like to learn more about Energy Education’s successes with large churches, examples of savings and awards, click through to the Energy Education Inc. : Larger Churches page.

Energy Education Inc. History

Energy Education Inc. was founded by Dr. William S. Spears with the desire to provide additional resources for schools and alleviate budget constraints that districts face.  He found that energy and utility savings was the best area to alleviate budget expenses and re-allocate funds to other classroom programs.  Visit the Energy Education website to read more about Energy Education Inc.’s history and its creation under the guidance of Dr. William Spears.