School District’s Efforts Earn Large Payment from Focus on Energy, Utilities
Little Chute, WI – FOCUS ON ENERGY®, We Energies and representatives from Kaukana Utilities presented the Little Chute Area School District with payments totaling more than $104,000 Monday for efficiency upgrades at the district’s remodeled intermediate/middle/high school.
The district is a ratepayer of both We Energies and Kaukauna Utilities, a member of WPPI Energy. Those two utilities are among the 107 in Wisconsin that fund Focus on Energy, a statewide program that offers energy expertise and financial incentives to those who make investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. Focus on Energy’s incentive payment for the school’s efficiency upgrades was just over $89,000, with WPPI offering an additional $15,000.
As part of a community-supported referendum, Little Chute Area School District completed an addition and renovations to the school late last year. Energy upgrades included installing new high efficiency air conditioning and boiler systems; converting classrooms, hallways and group spaces to LED lighting technology; adding a new roof with additional insulation; and purchasing energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® appliances for the newly-renovated school kitchen.
The school district also invested in a more efficient ventilation system that can sense when students enter and leave spaces and automatically adjusts the amount of outside air ventilation based on occupancy. This dramatically reduces the amount of energy needed to heat and cool that air with electricity or natural gas.
“With strong community support and the dedication of our Little Chute team working together, it is amazing, the future learning spaces we’ve created during this project,” said Jim DeBaker, Director of Buildings, Grounds, and Energy at Little Chute Area School District. “We thank everyone for their time and talent shared to make this a success. The energy saved will continue to pay future dividends for years to come. We are Mustang proud!”
Here are some important facts about upgrades at the new school:
•The school’s upgrades will save more than 940,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 47,000 therms of natural gas annually, enough energy to power 140 Wisconsin homes for a year.
•The upgrades will save the district nearly $100,000 a year in energy costs compared to standard equipment.
•The annual environmental benefits are equivalent to offsetting 2,658 barrels of oil burned, eliminating more than 1,128 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.
“When the Little Chute Area School District first started on their energy efficiency improvement process, it ranked in the top third in the EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager, a measuring stick for comparing similar buildings for energy efficiency. Now, with their commitment to continuous energy efficiency improvements, we see their score near the top of similar type buildings. It is exciting to see their continuous improvement process paying off, resulting in lower energy consumption,” said Steve Engebos, Energy Services Representative at Kaukauna Utilities.
The most recent independent evaluation found every $1 invested in Focus on Energy programs creates $5.93 in benefits for Wisconsin, including economic benefits, reduced energy costs, and reduced pollution. The program helps customers at participating utilities identify and evaluate energy-saving opportunities and can provide specific recommendations.
About Focus on Energy
Focus on Energy is Wisconsin utilities' statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program funded by the state's investor-owned energy utilities and participating municipal and electric cooperative utilities. Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Focus on Energy information, resources and financial incentives help to implement projects that otherwise would not be completed. Its efforts help Wisconsin residents and businesses manage rising energy costs, promote in-state economic development, protect our environment and control Wisconsin's growing demand for electricity and natural gas. For more information call 800.762.7077 or visit focusonenergy.com.
About Kaukauna Utilites
Kaukauna Utilities is a community owned and operated electric and water utility, serving more than 13,500 customers in the Kaukauna area. The utility provides electric service to the City of Kaukauna, the Village of
Little Chute and parts of the Village of Combined Locks.
About We Energies
We Energies provides electric service to customers in portions of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
They also serve natural gas customers in Wisconsin and steam customers in downtown Milwaukee.
