DALLAS and SAN DIEGO — Vista Unified School District became the third of San Diego County’s 42 school districts to have its Proposition 39 Energy Expenditure Plan approved by the California Energy Commission. The school district will receive $4.7 million in funding and will utilize Schneider Electric to make a variety of energy efficiency retrofits including HVAC replacements, programmable thermostats, computer power management, and LED exterior lighting and controls.

When fully implemented, these energy efficiency measures, spanning 27 school sites, will deliver more than 2.3 million kWh in energy savings.

“We are grateful that Vista Unified School District will be able to utilize these resources to improve the quality of our facilities while also improving energy efficiency,” said Vista Unified School District Assistant Superintendent of Business Donna Caperton. “Without the heavy lifting and guidance of Schneider Electric, it would be difficult to get these projects off the ground. The savings we expect to realize through the approved plan will help us achieve our vision to be the model of educational excellence and innovation.”

“We understand that the intricacy of Proposition 39 can be daunting; this complexity combined with resource constrained school districts is leading to the Proposition 39 opportunity being underleveraged by California school districts. That’s where we come in to provide a variety of resources, services, and energy expertise to assist school districts with their sustainability goals,” said Jordan Lerner, regional director, Schneider Electric. “We go beyond sustainability goals and help districts expedite the completion and approval of their Energy Expenditure Plans.”

Like many school districts in California, Vista Unified School District has addressed several small-scale energy projects over the years. Now, through Proposition 39 funding, Vista Unified School District can make significant energy efficiency upgrades by replacing old and inefficient HVAC equipment as well as better controlling how that equipment is operated. The plans will also improve exterior lighting and save the district money by allowing it to better manage information technology equipment. By taking a more holistic, strategic look at its operations, Vista Unified School District will be able to realize significant energy savings, which can then be reinvested into enhancing students’ education experience.

For more information, visit www.enable.schneider-electric.com.

Publication date: 9/1/2014

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!