District News
Saratoga Springs High School earns
prestigious ENERGY STAR
Saratoga Springs High School has earned the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) prestigious ENERGY
STAR, the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and
environmental protection.
The high school earned an energy performance rating of 100, the
highest score possible on the 1-100 scale used by the EPA to
assess how efficiently buildings use energy relative to similar
buildings nationwide. Buildings with scores of 75 or higher are
eligible for the ENERGY STAR.
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Rick Whitney, head custodian at the high school, and Frank Crowley, right, high school principal, hold the ENERGY STAR plaque while Terry McClain, HVAC specialist, looks on. |
“We’re very pleased to receive this award,” said Thomas Clark,
director for facilities and operations for the Saratoga Springs
City School District. “We’ve come a long way in our thought
processes concerning how to save energy.”
Frank Crowley, high school principal, attributed the award to
“the collective efforts of many dedicated workers at the high
school.”
“Our custodians and maintenance workers do a marvelous job of
maintaining optimal energy levels while creating a comfortable
environment for educating our students,” Crowley said. “And our
faculty and staff are excellent partners in helping us achieve
energy efficiency.”
Buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 40 percent
less energy than typical buildings, and also release 35 percent
less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Among the factors at the high school that led to the ENERGY STAR
rating are the following, Clark said:
• Installation of more energy-efficient boilers as part of an
expansion and renovation project completed in 2004.
• Replacement of 26 air handling units with new, more efficient
ones.
• Improved efficiency of exterior doors.
• The use of computerized heating systems.
• Improvements in preventive maintenance.
• Turning thermostats down to 68 degrees.
• Increased awareness and efforts on the part of students, staff
and administrators concerning energy-saving measures.
The school district has received a plaque and certificate from
the EPA in recognition of the award.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary,
market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
through energy efficiency.