Moore County Schools (MCS) in Lynchburg, Tenn., is implementing $244,266 in facility enhancements designed to improve operations, comfort, and efficiency at the Moore County High School/Middle School facility. The Energy Solutions division of TAC - which provides energy services, building automation, and security - will complete the work as a performance contract with the school system. TAC guarantees that MCS will reduce their utility costs by $33,000 annually when the project is completed in February 2009.

Containing almost 80,000 square feet, Moore County High School serves 455 students in grades seven through 12 in a southern Tennessee community 60 miles from Nashville. According to those involved in the project, the building contained outdated lighting that produced inadequate illumination and high energy bills.

“Our facility needed an upgrade, but we faced budget limitations,” said Chad Moorehead, director of schools for Moore County. “TAC showed us how performance contracting makes it possible for a smaller school system like ours to fund improvements without shifting limited resources away from classroom education.”

Performance contracting, according to TAC, offers many long-term benefits for school systems, such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management, and environmental protection. Typically, new, more efficient equipment and upgraded facility automation systems maximize energy efficiency and generate utility savings. TAC guarantees the amount of savings performance contracting projects will achieve and agrees to pay the difference if that amount is not realized.

TAC will implement a complete lighting retrofit at the Moore County High/Middle School, replacing the old fixtures with energy saving fluorescent lights and new ballasts. The new lighting will be more efficient and provide better illumination, the company said. TAC will also install an energy management system at the facility. Using the EMS, maintenance staff will have a better ability to control energy usage in the building by monitoring and controlling the mechanical systems from a central workstation.

“TAC will install and replace these systems and the school system will pay for the improvements entirely with the guaranteed energy savings, so there will be no out-of-pocket expense,” said Wes McDaniel, vice president of TAC Energy Solutions. “Best of all, students and staff at the school will enjoy a better learning and working environment as a result of these facility updates and the local community will not get higher tax bills or be asked to approve any bonds to pay for it.”

Publication date: 12/01/2008