Los Angeles Electricians Education

Public schools throughout the nation are hurting financially. Most depend on real estate taxes – which have declined precipitously along with home values – for their operating funds.

School districts in most states have had to cut services and lay off teachers. But, some districts are realizing that they can save money in one area – energy costs – without affecting student services.
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is one district where a concerted effort is being made by administrators, teachers, students, and facilities managers to conserve energy. The District recently launched the Sustainability Initiatives Program [pdf] which is designed to reduce energy consumption, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by ten percent by 2012.

A cornerstone of the plan is the Utility Savings Share Program, which enlists the help of teachers and students to reduce energy and water usage in each school.

The previous year’s water and electrical usage numbers are used as a baseline with which to compare the 2009-10 school year’s usage numbers. If a school reduces its usage by at least one percent, it will earn a portion of the savings. If a school reduces utility costs by three to five percent, it will earn 30 percent of the savings.

The remainder of the savings will be split on a 50/50 basis between the general fund and new utility conservation projects. The baseline data will be adjusted each year so that schools can continue to earn savings if they continue to cut their utility usage.

"The Utility Savings Sharing Program is a great tool that rewards schools for conserving and provides an opportunity for teaching students about responsibility for our environment. At the same time, we can support education with these cost savings," LAUSD Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines said. "I am confident this program will be a success."

The school district also plans to install 50 megawatts of solar photovoltaic panels by 2012, potentially saving more than $20 million annually on an annual $85 million power bill. LAUSD is partnering with SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA), a manufacturer of high efficiency solar cells and solar panels.

SunPower installed solar panels at El Dorado Avenue Elementary School which will generate more than 90 percent of the school's annual usage, enough to power approximately 22 homes for a year. El Dorado will become one of the first schools in LAUSD to become grid neutral - meaning that it will produce as much electricity as it uses in a year.

"El Dorado Elementary is demonstrating that grid neutral is obtainable in both new and existing schools. Decades after first opening its doors, it is exciting to see El Dorado Elementary will soon be a model for what 21st century schools should be," California State Architect David Thorman said.

"El Dorado serves as an example of how, by going grid neutral, California schools can help meet the challenge the Governor has given us to reduce greenhouse gases statewide.”

The district is also sending facility managers for training in the US Green Building Council’s LEED program to certify green buildings. It plans to build new schools to energy-efficiency and water conservation standards. And decades-old buses are being converted to cleaner propane fuel. The district has found that, in addition to saving money, these measures also provide a great opportunity to teach students about energy conservation and how renewable energy works.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons via Ucla90024

Learn more about energy efficiency on eBoom's Emerging Energy Learning Page.