TWO RIVERS – The Two Rivers Public School District is set to receive approximately $30,000 in rebates following completion of several energy efficiency projects.

Over the last year, the district has completed energy efficient projects including replacing exterior parking lot lighting and interior lighting ballasts with energy efficient lighting and LEDs at several schools, installing an LED light board display at the high school, and installing two energy efficient water heaters at L.B. Clarke Middle School. The projects will reduce costs by lowering the district’s energy bill.

The district is receiving rebates from the Two Rivers Electric Utility and Wisconsin Public Power Inc. totaling $10,887.80 for making the changes, and a second rebate from Focus on Energy of $10,337.22.

“We have a total of $21,225.02 in hard cash we will be receiving back for the improvements that we’ve done,” said Bob Bauknecht, the district’s director of maintenance.

A third rebate also was received during the replacement of parking lot lights. Bauknecht worked with the lighting vendor during installation and received a rebate of $8,965, which was applied directly to the cost of the light install.

“In all, we got over $30,000 in rebates toward the projects we have done so far,” Bauknecht said.

The projects were initially paid for out of the district’s fund balance, but will be recouped through a one-time $125,000 revenue cap exemption that will be included in this year’s tax levy. The district was able to include the exemption while still lowering the overall tax levy due to the increase in financial aid the district received from the state.

District officials also continued work on plans to replace to aging boilers at L.B. Clarke Middle School and Magee Elementary School. The boilers are approaching 60 years of service and are due for replacement.

The project is currently in the planning phase, and Bauknecht said he recently completed a walk-through of the two buildings with electrical engineers to verify specifications for the two boilers.