El Paso Electric

El Paso Electric Rewards El Paso I.S.D. for Long-Term Energy Efficiency Efforts

El Paso Independent School District will celebrate three years of energy efficiency projects at a check presentation on Aug. 9. The district’s Board of Directors and staff will accept a check for the $128,116 in incentives it has earned from El Paso Electric’s SCORESM Program. Since joining the SCORE Program in 2009, EPISD has completed 38 energy efficiency projects in 32 school buildings, with two more scheduled for completion by the end of 2011. This year alone, EPISD installed five high-efficiency air conditioning systems—a big undertaking with a big payback.

 “In just three years, we are already seeing savings from our lighting and air conditioning improvements,” said Facilities, Maintenance & Construction Executive Director Nicholas Corona. “Aside from the savings, the air conditioning systems simply function better. The old systems weren’t able to keep the buildings cool throughout the school day and into the evening for after-school events. Now, there’s no lapse in comfortable temperatures.”

 The El Paso Electric SCORE Program helps schools save energy and money by providing no-cost facility improvement recommendations and financial incentives based on the total amount of energy the district will save. The lighting and air conditioning system upgrades are saving approximately 1,340,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, equivalent to preventing the carbon dioxide emissions of more than 181 passenger vehicles, according to Environmental Protection Agency calculations.

 “We identified a real need for an energy efficiency program that specifically targets our educational facilities especially as budgets are spread thin,” said EPE Senior Energy Efficiency Program Coordinator Araceli Perea. “By partnering with schools to reduce energy costs, these valuable saved resources can be used for other needed projects.”

In addition, the program provided guidance on other financing options available for energy efficiency projects. The district used a grant from the Texas LoanSTAR Program to cover $43,000 of its latest project’s cost. The program, administered by the State Energy Conservation Office, provides grants up to $50,000 to schools located along the Texas/Mexico border. As part of its participation in the El Paso Electric SCORE program, EPISD will continue to evaluate additional efficiency opportunities. “The collaboration with El Paso Electric and the SCORE Program has been great for us,” said Corona. “El Paso Electric has helped us see past the initial costs to the long-term savings, and provided useful recommendations for our facility standards.”