New! Softening the School Footprint

Sullivan County School System in East Tennessee Is a Model for Progressive Energy Upgrades

Story by Melissa Turner

Photography courtesy of Sullivan County Schools

In his environmental documentary, Kilowatt Ours, filmmaker and energy conservation activist Jeff Barrie shines the spotlight on a progressive school system in East Tennessee that recently spent $24 million in energy upgrades. Through an ambitious effort in upgrading lighting, plumbing, windows, insulation, HVAC and climate control systems, Sullivan County has reduced its system-wide electric use by 42 percent, its natural gas and coal use by 35 percent and its water and sewer use by 47 percent.

Like any large business enterprise or municipality, U.S. school systems and colleges and universities make huge ecological footprints. In a recent report on its Campus Ecology program, the National Wildlife Federation points out the mass of educational buildings were constructed during times of cheap energy "when little thought was given to efficient heating, cooling, ventilation or lighting."

As the need arises for campus renovations, as was the case with one Sullivan County School that had to be closed down because the floors were about to collapse, the time is right for upgrading school's efficiency and sustainability as well. Energy Systems Group (ESG) of Newburgh, Indiana specializes in energy solutions for education, healthcare, government, commercial and industrial sites across the Southeast and Midwest. The ESG field office in Johnson City, Tennessee contracted with Sullivan County Schools in overseeing the large-scale efficiency upgrades the schools underwent.

"Sullivan County went further in technologies than any of our other upgrade projects," says Russ Nelson, business development manager with Energy Systems Group. "They upgraded heating and cooling systems, lighting, water conservation, insulation and windows and doors. These changes really improved the quality of the learning environment." Nelson mentions that prior to the upgrades 12 of the Sullivan County school facilities were "under lit," but through installing new windows and "daylighting," the classrooms are better lit and use less artificial lighting.

Offering students and educators a higher quality environment is not the only improvement made by the upgrade efforts. Sullivan County Schools is also seeing a dramatic savings as a result-a $1 million payback in savings each year.

"In 2000 and 2001, we were paying $2.1 million in electric bills each year," says Joe Mike Akard, maintenance supervisor for Sullivan County Department of Education. "Even though we've seen a 30 percent increase in utility costs since then, because of the energy upgrades our actual bill this year was $1.4 million, that's a savings of a million and a half a year."

Besides the yearly payback savings Sullivan County Schools now appreciates as a result of the upgrades in equipment and building materials, the school system has also adopted a comprehensive energy policy for furthering conservation efforts and savings. "We have 6,000 computers system-wide, cutting off the computers when they aren't being used saves us $70,000 a year," Akard says. "We are constantly finding new ways to save energy."

Just a sampling of some other policy details include:

* Replacing the 700 refrigerators in classrooms system-wide with refrigerators just in teachers' lounges. If teachers want a refrigerator in their classroom, they must pay the differences in energy costs to the school system.

* The temperature control system turns down to 60 degrees at 3 p.m. and goes back up to 72 degrees at 5 a.m. the next morning.

* Of the more than 30 drink machines system-wide, the fluorescent tubes were removed to save energy.

* As a policy, Sullivan County Schools do not have lighted school signs or trophy cases.

* Teachers must turn off classroom lights when not needed-which is monitored by an energy manager, and those who do not comply receive warnings and pay deductions if necessary.

* Custodians clean where outside lighting is available during the day and clean where inside lighting is necessary-like in the gymnasium and cafeteria-during the evening hours.

Energy Systems Group publishes a comprehensive report every three months to inform Sullivan County Schools of the energy savings and if, for some reason, the projected savings is not met because of equipment malfunction or some other problem, Energy Systems Group has to make up the difference, Akard says.

While Sullivan County Schools has experienced tremendous rewards for the efforts to increase energy efficiency, there have been a few drawbacks and learning moments. Akard says he likes to inform others who are interested in making similar changes of the lessons Sullivan County has learned so they won't make the same mistakes.

During the course of the upgrades, the attic space in one of the schools was over-insulated causing a water line to freeze. Because of over-insulating condensation would collect during cold weather and the moisture turned into black mold. When black mold arrived on the scene, the Sullivan County Department of Education decided to move the students to the Bristol Race Track until the mold could be cleaned up. The students spent three months studying in the skyboxes at the racetrack. After the experience with black mold, Sullivan County Schools started mold testing for their schools and any school that needs mold testing, Akard says.

Another challenge for Sullivan County Schools is upgrading its old coal-burning boilers with the most economic option possible. "Twelve years ago, we had 13 schools that burned coal," Akard says. "Now we only have two." Sullivan County Schools has exchanged its coal-burning boilers for electric, gas or oil systems, but with constantly changing fuel costs, the new systems require some careful planning. "With the oil systems we can go through 500 gallons a day and it's very expensive," Akard says.

Sullivan County Schools is continuing to look at ways to address this pressing challenge.

Challenges aside though, Sullivan County Schools is very pleased with how their upgrade project has paid off. All 31 schools received lighting system upgrades. Eighteen schools received new thermopane windows. Twelve schools received new heating and cooling equipment. Nineteen schools received insulation of the attic space. Three schools received new suspended ceilings. All schools received water conservation improvements. And all schools received monitoring and trending of electric meters.

With a savings of $1 million a year and 12,573,005 kilowatt hours saved each year, Sullivan County Schools definitely sets the pace. "We've saved millions," Akard says. "When you deal with taxpayer dollars, money is important."

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