Board looking at energy efficiency

Editor’s note: Due to the McCreary County Board of Education moving their regular meeting date to the same day as the McCreary County Fiscal Court meeting, it conflicts with our ability to cover both events live. The Voice submitted an open records request to the Board of Education to obtain a video copy of the meeting, held on August13, and prepared a report from the viewing of that recording.

Meeting in regular session on Thursday, August 13, the McCreary County Board of Education heard a proposal concerning participating in a guaranteed energy savings contract program, which could allow the school district to upgrade its’ facilities, and using the energy cost savings to finance the equipment.

A recent energy audit found the McCreary County School District was next to last in energy efficiency in the state. Two HVAC systems, one at Pine Knot Intermediate and one at McCreary Middle are obsolete units, and the cost to repair the units when something breaks is enormous.

Jeremy Smith, with CMTA Energy Solutions, said the guaranteed energy savings contract is a “unique way for districts to do projects who can’t afford them.”

Smith said the program would allow the District to submit requests for proposals from companies to install new, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems in the schools, and using the savings from the lower utility bills to cover the costs of the new units. Other energy improvements could include windows, roofing and lighting systems.

One benefit to the District, Smith said, was his company would guarantee a savings each year, and if, for any reason the overall savings does not meet that target, his company would cover the deficit. Conversely, any savings above and beyond the projection would go directly back to the school district.

One example he cited was in Nelson County. That district underwent the process of enrolling in the program with one building.

A savings of $22,000 was estimated, but the district surpassed that target, cutting their annual electricity costs by over one third, and gas costs by over one half.

If adopted, the Board would have to issue public bonds to pay for the new equipment, but the savings generated would be more than enough to meet the annual financial obligations, Smith said.

He estimated the McCreary County School District spends about $950,000 per year in energy costs, including gas, water, electric and sewer, and under the guaranteed energy savings contract that expense could be cut by over $400,000.

The Board voted to approve sending out a request for proposals from companies interested in providing a guaranteed energy savings contract with the McCreary County School District.

The next scheduled meeting of the McCreary County Board of Education is set for Thursday, September 10 at 6:30 p.m.