 MANSFIELD – On November 27th, the Mansfield ISD School Board received a check for $21,135 for making their schools more energy efficient. The district has installed lighting upgrades at Brown Elementary, Charlotte Anderson Elementary, Tarver-Rendon Elementary and Cross Timbers Intermediate schools and HVAC upgrades at Alice Ponder Elementary, Boren Elementary and Wester Middle Schools. These projects will greatly reduce their energy consumption, by over 320,000 kilowatt hours annually and by over 140 kilowatts during peak hours, the times when it is most important to conserve energy.
The Texas Schools Conserving Resources (SCORE) Program is a pilot program being sponsored by Oncor Electric Delivery for select school districts to help improve energy efficiency and reduce schools’ energy operating costs.
Mansfield ISD has been working diligently to reduce energy use and was recently awarded a “10% Improvement” (on energy consumption) Certificate from EPA’s Energy Star Program. Also at the district's November board meeting 10 of 33 buildings received the prestigious Energy Star Label, indicating that their overall energy performance is among the top 25 percent of all similar-use buildings nationally.
“The SCORE Program has helped our district and our community by saving money and conserving energy.” John Perdue, Director of Facilities and Operations, said. “The money we save can be reinvested directly back into our classrooms, and by conserving energy we are setting a good example for students and teachers who are encouraged to conserve energy as well.”
Mansfield ISD worked with the SCORE Program to identify opportunities to increase the energy efficiency at the district. As part of being a program participant, the district also developed an energy master plan so that they can continue to take the best approach toward reducing the district’s energy bills. Maintenance Director Jeff Brogden said, “The incentives motivated us, but the money we will save on our energy bills over the coming years will be even more valuable. We have already started to see the financial payback of reducing our energy use.”
The SCORE Program helped by facilitating a focused look at what upgrades would be most effective. Through this process, Mansfield ISD found opportunities for lighting and HVAC upgrades to reduce the district’s energy use in many of their schools and administration areas. The Program worked with the school district to involve administrators at all levels to participate in the decision-making process so that everyone understood the financial benefits of investing in the upgrade projects.
“Oncor Electric Delivery is proud to offer a unique program that serves the vital needs of Texas public schools. We are committed to the future of our local communities and our children,” said Jeff Reed, SCORE Program Manager for Oncor Electric Delivery. “The SCORE Program provides comprehensive tools and incentive dollars to help districts manage their energy use so that more of their budget dollars end up in the classroom for students.”
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