As the state’s budget gets grimmer and grimmer, school districts
are finding creative ways to save money.
One of these is in the form of energy efficiency through Pacific
Gas
&
amp; Electric.
The Aromas-San Juan Unified School District, Hollister School
District and San Benito High School District are in the process of
signing agreements to participate in PG
&
amp;E’s School Resource Program. The North County Joint Unified
School District has participated for the past few years, saving
”
thousands of dollars.
”
As the state’s budget gets grimmer and grimmer, school districts are finding creative ways to save money.
One of these is in the form of energy efficiency through Pacific Gas & Electric.
The Aromas-San Juan Unified School District, Hollister School District and San Benito High School District are in the process of signing agreements to participate in PG&E’s School Resource Program. The North County Joint Unified School District has participated for the past few years, saving “thousands of dollars.”
“There’s two ways to balance your budget – increase your revenue or cut your expenses. We’re looking at everything,” said Tom Guajardo, superintendent at North County. “We’ve saved thousands of dollars per year.”
The School Resource Program offers various ways of cutting down on utilities at no cost to school districts, including energy-efficient improvements at school facilities, energy surveys, financial incentives, equipment rebates and technical assistance grants.
The program is a collaborative between PG&E, the California Energy Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy to provide a “resource conservation manager” who “provides information and direct assistance in planning and managing energy efficiency improvements,” according to PG&E’s Web site.
Recommendations from North County’s audit included adding installing lights in classrooms and a uniform heat and air shut-off system, as well as weather proofing classrooms, especially the older buildings, Guajardo said. The district’s main success has been in cost savings.
Most school officials are interested in the program because of its free advice on how to save money. Also, the School Resource Program is on a first-come, first-served basis.
ASJUSD Superintendent Jackie Munoz looked into the program because some of the district’s sites are not energy efficient.
“PG&E offers plans that are designed to meet the needs of the district and it helps the state with saving of energy,” she said. “The bottom line is cost.”
Among other things, ASJUSD officials plan on upgrading lights in Anzar High School’s parking lot and the 100 building.
“PG&E gives recommendations on how to save energy and cost reduce,” Munoz said. “We’ll be working with our architect with the new renovation project to make sure we install things that are cost effective and energy efficient.”
HSD Superintendent Judith Barranti urged her Board of Trustees to approve the contract, saying it is not binding.
“This is a free service to us paid for by the state of California and offered by PG&E,” Barranti said at the Board’s meeting Nov. 18.
The School Resource Program also offers energy-efficient technology overviews for administrators and energy efficiency workshops for kindergarten-through-eighth-grade teachers.
For students, PG&E offers “Energenius,” an educational program and energy science curricula for elementary and middle school students that correlates with the state’s content standards in reading, math and science. The student and teacher materials are provided free of charge.
Even at thousands of dollars a year, every penny counts, the administrators said.
To learn more about the School Resource Program, visit www.pge.com.
