River Falls Schools: Investing in Students by Saving Energy

Building a Long-Term Energy Plan

The School District of River Falls serves about 3,500 students in the city and surrounding rural communities. For years, district staff have worked with Focus on Energy to identify practical efficiency improvements, plan projects and secure financial incentives. A community-backed facilities vote in 2024 helped the district continue that work.
 

Since 2017, the district has installed high-efficiency boilers at River Falls High School and Westside Elementary, upgraded gym and outdoor lighting to LEDs, and added variable frequency drives to heating and cooling motors. Those drives allow motors to slow down when buildings do not need full power, reducing unnecessary energy use.
At the district pool, a heat-recovery system captures and reuses energy that would otherwise be lost.

Most students will never see some of that equipment. They can feel the difference, however, in more consistent temperatures and improved indoor air quality. The district also benefits from lower energy use and reduced maintenance needs.

“These projects have reduced energy consumption, improved indoor air quality, and created more comfortable learning environments across district buildings,” said Steve Kraker, the district’s Focus on Energy Advisor.

Energy Savings That Add Up

The scale of the district’s energy savings is significant.

Over the life of the equipment, the projects are expected to save 318,272 MMBtu of energy—roughly equivalent to one year of energy use for 3,000 River Falls homes. They are also expected to prevent more than 23,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

For the district, those savings have another important benefit: they help protect school budgets from future energy-price increases. Incentives from Focus on Energy also reduced project costs, allowing the district to direct more of its resources toward students.

Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Commissioner Marcus Hawkins noted another benefit unique to schools: students can learn from the improvements happening around them.
“In the spirit of education, I think that’s really amazing,” Hawkins said.

When the School Becomes the Lesson

River Falls has made sure its energy-efficiency work does not stay hidden in boiler rooms and control panels.

At the high school, a dual-axis solar tracker follows the sun while generating electricity. An indoor kiosk displays live data for students, staff and visitors.
Students can explore how their schools use energy during Eco Week and in career and technical education classes. They can also see efficient lighting, heating, cooling and building-control technologies operating in the same spaces where they learn.

That turns infrastructure into something more than a building investment. It becomes a hands-on lesson, helping students connect classroom concepts with the technology and energy data surrounding them every day.

A Community Investment

River Falls’ progress is a community effort.

District staff worked with River Falls Municipal Utilities, Focus on Energy and local businesses, while residents continued to invest in their schools. Their combined efforts earned the district a 2026 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award.

 Buildings and Grounds Director Joe Hazelman credited the many people who helped make the projects possible. “I’m very excited to enjoy many years of energy efficiency and placing those dollars back in the classroom where they can do the most good,” Hazelman said.

The award recognizes years of steady planning and improvement, but the larger achievement will continue long after the ceremony: more comfortable learning spaces, less wasted energy and more school resources available to support students.

In River Falls, saving energy has become another way of investing in education.