UMATILLA — With school district budgets squeezed throughout Oregon, many schools are looking to save money wherever possible and one area they are zeroing in on is energy costs.
For several years, the Umatilla School District has been working with Energy Trust of Oregon, a nonprofit organization that provides services and financial incentives to support energy efficiency.
Earlier this year, Energy Trust worked with the Umatilla School District in the design of its new career and technical education building and the new Columbia Vista Intermediate School.
Incentives help pay for HVAC system, more
Juliette Poff, marketing specialist with Energy Trust, said the district received $258,000 in cash incentives to equip Umatilla High School’s new CTE building with a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, lighting controls, building controls and water heaters. The work was completed this past summer.
The district also received $33,000 in cash incentives for an HVAC system, lighting controls and a water heater in the new intermediate school.
“Our goal is to help schools become more energy efficient,” Poff said. “With schools, we know a lot of them don’t have the money in their operating budgets for these types of upgrades.”
Poff said when schools save on energy bills, they can use the savings and reinvest it back into their programs.
“We see it as a vital part of supporting the community,” Poff said.
District Superintendent Heidi Sipe said the district has been working with Energy Trust since 2016.
“We’ve kept working with them ever since,” Sipe said. “They help us think through what is the most the cost-effective choice. They’re great at showing how we could leverage funds to stretch our dollars.”
$34 million have gone to schools since 2004
Energy Trust helps schools throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. renovate or upgrade existing buildings and works with them in the design of new buildings to maximize energy efficiency. The nonprofit has provided $34 million to schools in since its inception in 2004.
Energy Trust has provided the Umatilla School District with more than $640,000 in cash incentives to help with energy efficiency. Energy Trust has worked with the district to provide upgrades to McNary Heights Elementary School, Clara Brownell Middle School as well as the district office and its maintenance building.
The district was able to replace the HVAC system and controls to a more efficient system at McNary Heights Elementary, receiving more than $251,000 in incentives from Energy Trust.
Clara Brownell Middle School was particularly problematic for the school district. Built in 1947, the school was operating with badly outdated equipment, particularly the HVAC system. The system was so old the district had to call in a specialist any time there was a problem.
The district received $85,000 in cash incentives, products and services from Energy Trust to install a new HVAC system, lighting and other upgrades that immediately decreased the school’s energy consumption and costs.
Poff said the upgrades made such a difference, even the students noticed.
“Kids usually aren’t too excited about HVAC systems, but they were at Clara Brownell,” Poff said.
Sipe, too, said the students began taking the idea of energy savings to heart.
Students become energy stewards
“The kids got involved as energy stewards making sure lights weren’t on that didn’t need to be on,” Sipe said. Energy Trust and the students focused on changing behaviors that run up the energy bills. For example, classroom lights don’t always have to be turned on. Many of the windows in the buildings are large and let in natural light.
“It’s just a habit to instantly turn on the lights even if they’re not needed,” Sipe said.
Improving energy efficiency doesn’t just decrease a school district’s heating and cooling bills, it also provides for a better learning environment, Poff said.
“A properly heated or cooled school building helps kids focus better,” Poff said. “And modern air filters mean kids are safer, healthier and more comfortable and that’s important.”