Trane, Ohio District Collaborate on School HVAC Upgrades
This West Branch Local School District campus, in Beloit, Ohio, is home to West Branch High School and West Branch Middle School.
Photo courtesy of Trane Technologies
DAVIDSON, N.C. — Trane Technologies is collaborating with the West Branch Local School District in Beloit, Ohio, on a multi-phase, energy-saving infrastructure project.
The district is undertaking major upgrades of three of its buildings: West Branch High School, West Branch Middle School, and Damascus Elementary. The upgrades are designed to replace outdated systems, address deferred maintenance, reduce energy and operational costs, and help create a more comfortable academic environment, according to a press release from Trane. They are expected to save the district more than $200,000 in energy and operational costs annually, according to the press release.
Improvements will include HVAC equipment replacement, new LED lighting, and a thermal energy storage system. That system’s ice tanks will act as a battery for a building’s air conditioning, allowing the district to shift the electrical demand for cooling to off-peak, nighttime hours. The upgrades are already under way and are expected to wrap up early 2025.
The improvements were funded through a combination of federal Inflation Reduction Act money and a performance contract from Trane. The performance contract enables the district to pay for the upgrades with the savings achieved through future reduced energy consumption. Performance contracting is a funding option that provides measurable results to support educational objectives, Trane said.
The West Branch Local School District serves about 1,850 students in preschool through the 12th grade.
The district and Trane are also collaborating to bring two STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning programs to West Branch students beginning in the fall of 2024.
BTU Crew is designed help create a foundation for STEM learning among students in grades four through seven, and then bring it to life for students in grades eight through 10. The program turns schools into energy learning labs with integrated lessons and project-based activities.
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Students enrolled in the district’s industrial maintenance program will be able to participate in data analytics education that leverages energy-usage data from the district’s controls system to offer hands-on STEM learning experiences. The practical skills gained through this education will help bridge the gap between classroom instruction and the needs of the workforce, the Trane press release said. It will also prepare students for two data analytics certifications through the National Coalition of Certification Centers, which will allow those students to earn additional third-party, industry-recognized credentials.
These programs support Trane Technologies’ commitment to creating pathways to green and STEM careers in support of its Sustainable Futures program, the company said.
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