Electricity and Gas

Over half of a school’s carbon footprint is taken up by electricity and gas usage. By reducing your school’s electricity and gas consumption, there is the potential for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as money savings. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, energy improvements have the potential to save our nation’s schools $1.5 billion each year and, at the same time, create better learning environments. We have provided a comprehensive list of actions you can take in both the short and long term to reduce your school’s electricity and gas usage:

Short term:

Turn down HVACs and heat pump hot water heaters on weekends and during non-use periods.

  • Turning appliances down or off when not in use saves energy, which, in effect, saves money.

Install LED and motion sensor lighting.

  • LEDs ultimately can save money, with a payback period of about 3 years.
    • Talk to your school’s student council, administration and/or the Facilities Department about how LEDs could be implemented at your school and the benefits of LED lighting.

Use natural lighting as much as possible.

  • Natural lighting saves money and energy.
  • Studies show a correlation between natural lighting and academic performance. Studies by the California Board of Energy Efficiency involving 21,000 students show that test scores were 15 percent to 26 percent higher in classrooms with daylighting.
    • SOLATUBE is a great company that comes up with extremely innovative and effective ways to provide daylighting in both commercial and residential spaces.

Get “Smart” power strips at your school.

  • Smart power strips reduce your electricity usage by shutting off power to products that go into standby mode, so that energy is not wasted.

Long term:

Replace my school’s HVAC with a more efficient system

  • An HVAC system is responsible for the heating, cooling, and ventilation of a building. An efficient HVAC model can save your school money in addition to energy.
    • HVACs consume 40%-50% of a school’s total energy! This means that, with the right HVAC system, the potential for reducing a school’s carbon footprint is significant.
  • The two main types of HVAC systems are heat pumps and units with a furnace and AC unit.
    • Heat pumps are the most efficient type of heating and cooling system, and have the potential to save 30%-40% or more on a utility bill.
    • Because heat pumps are more energy efficient than furnaces, if you’re looking to install a new HVAC system a heat pump would be the most ideal.

Your school will likely be hesitant to install a new HVAC, so here’s something we think you should keep in mind:

  • Installing a new HVAC is a long-term action. While your school probably won’t replace any of their HVACs with a new one, you can encourage the school to commit to installing eco-friendly, Energy Star rated HVACs in any new buildings or when old HVAC’s break down. In other words, campaign for your school to get eco-friendly HVACs “starting now.” We suggest meeting with your school’s principal and/or utilities manager to discuss this. Make sure you layout how the school would benefit…

Benefits for your school:

  • Money Savings
    • The most ECO friendly HVAC systems use electricity rather than gas, which means your school will spend less money on their gas and utility bill.
    • Your school can get rebates and may be able to get tax deductions from buying efficient HVACs.
    • Heat pumps, which are more energy efficient than other types of HVACs, usually cost less to operate than a gas furnace (the alternative) because electricity rates are lower than gas rates in most places.
    • Improving insulation can also help reduce energy costs as it reduces the amount of heating needed. This means you can get a smaller and more efficient HVAC system. Improving insulation can be done many different ways from adding insulation in the walls to getting three pane windows.
  • Environmental Benefits
    • Because more efficient HVAC systems use less energy, less greenhouse gas emissions are being emitted into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.
    • Your school won’t have to change the HVAC later to meet new regulations/standards.
    • As awareness around climate change increases, many new regulations are being put into place by gas companies and by local governments to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This means that as cities strive for cleaner technology, it is likely that there will be new requirements as to what kinds of HVAC systems and other appliances are acceptable. So, if your school is going to put in a new HVAC system, it should have a high efficiency rating so that it does not have to be taken out and changed later, ultimately costing your school more money.
  • For more specific benefits on efficient HVAC systems visit this link.
  • To read about the different kinds of HVAC systems, their benefits, and how they work, click on the headers below to expand the information.

The AC unit uses energy to produce cool air, and the furnace uses energy to ignite fuel, which then heats the air.

The efficiency of HVAC systems that have an air conditioning unit and a furnace unit are measured in two categories. The efficiency of the AC unit is measured by a SEER rating, and the efficiency of a furnace unit is measured by a AFUE rating.

SEER:

The SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is the amount of cool air that’s produced per unit of energy (kWh) in the air conditioning unit of the HVAC. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the unit is (because more cool air is being made from less energy). The SEER rating can be anywhere from 13 to 24. Energy Star appliances, which use less energy and therefore can save money on electricity bills, have a SEER rating anywhere from 15 to 24. If you’re looking for a more energy efficient HVAC to implement at your school, look for an Energy Star HVAC with a high SEER value.

AFUE:

The most efficient type of gas furnace is a furnace with a high AFUE (Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating, which is considered anywhere above .90, or 90%. The AFUE rating measures the amount of fuel that the furnace can turn into heat. A furnace with an AFUE of .90 can convert 90% of the gas or oil it consumes into heat. A low AFUE rating is .80, and the highest AFUE rating is .98 (or 98%). Higher AFUE ratings also lower fuel costs, saving money in addition to energy.

Compared to a HVAC comprised of a furnace and an AC unit, a heat pump is an alternate, more energy efficient type of heating and cooling system. Heat pumps can heat and cool a building; when the weather is hot they transfer warm air out of the building, and when the weather is cold they transfer the warm air into the building. Heat pumps are more efficient than furnaces because they transfer energy rather than creating it.

HSPF, which stands for heating seasonal performance factor, is the rating system for the heating component of heat pumps. For the cooling component of the heat pump, SEER is still used to measure the efficiency. A low HSPF rating is anywhere from 7.7 (the minimum) to 8.2, and a high HSPF rating is 14 (the maximum).

Depending on where your school is located, certain HVAC systems could be more effective. In warmer and more mild climates, heat pumps are more effective, and in cooler climates furnaces are probably a better option. For more information you can visit this link.

In addition, here is a link to a National Grid report that has information on specific heating and cooling options for various climates.

According to energystar.com, “Energy Star is the trusted, government-backed symbol for energy efficiency helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.”

When looking to buy an efficient HVAC (or any appliance), we suggest looking for Energy Star rated equipment, which is more efficient than standard equipment and is easier to get rebates on. Energy Star equipment has three tiers: tier 1 (baseline), tier 2 (pretty good), and tier 3 (amazing!). Look for the highest tier you can find, and while (obviously) the ideal HVAC for your school would be under the tier 3 category, it may be harder to find or not as realistic.

Energy Star equipment can also save money. For example, an Energy Star certified light commercial HVAC can save more than $2,000 over the life of the product.

Install a more efficient hot water heater

A significant amount of a school’s energy usage is devoted to hot water heating. A hot water heating system is responsible for hot water in the faucets and kitchens of many schools. Having an efficient water heater can significantly reduce energy usage in your school in addition to saving money.

  • Conventional Storage Tank Water Heater

    • Consists of an insulated tank containing the water.
  • Tankless Water Heater

    • Consists of “super heated” coils that fill with water and can heat water instantly.
    • Most models run on natural gas.
    • Larger models require a gas line which can be expensive if they’re not already in place.
    • These water heaters are energy efficient because they only heat water when needed.
  • Heat Pump Water Heater

    • These types of water heaters can save money on an electric bill because no energy is needed to generate heat. Instead, it takes heat from the air and ground.
      • They can use up to 60% less electricity than a standard hot water heater.
  • Solar Powered Water Heater

    • They use solar panels as an energy source, making them energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
    • They save money on electric bills.
    • They often require a back-up heater to run on cloudy days.
  • Condensing Water Heater

    • They use unused gas fumes to heat the water.
    • They require natural gas.

For more information and detail visit this helpful website.

Our Suggestion

The most efficient and environmentally friendly option is to have a solar powered water heater with a heat pump water heater as a back-up. A solar powered water heater uses the sun’s energy, and therefore requires no excess electricity or gas, making it the most eco-friendly. However, because not all days are sunny and the water heater would likely not be able to run constantly, we recommend having a heat pump water heater as a back-up, which is also an efficient system. It requires significantly less energy because it does not need to create heat.

However, solar powered water heaters are the most expensive as they would need a back-up water heater, so while they’d be ideal, it is most likely that your school will be more receptive to just having a heat pump water heater (rather than a solar water heater in addition to a heat pump).

Meet with your principal and/or utilities manager and make the case that all new installations of water heating systems should be either a solar powered water heater with heat pump back-up or a heat pump. Explain to them that these kinds of heat pumps can save money as well as decrease your school’s carbon emissions.

Solar panels

Solar power systems use the sun to produce clean, renewable energy. Installing solar panels helps to combat greenhouse gas emissions and lessens society’s dependence on non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels.

What are the benefits for my school?

  • Saving money!
    • Cutting down your electricity bill is a big incentive for getting solar panels. If you know, on average, how much your school spends on electricity each month, it is much easier to get an accurate estimate on how much you could save by getting solar panels.
    • There are many great solar calculators that give you rough pricing estimates, yearly savings and potential payback periods! Here we have pasted a calculator that we think is quite helpful and thorough, but there are more out there that you can find with a simple google search.
    • Another thing you could do is reach out to a solar company that can give you a very accurate quote as well as energy savings projections, though they will probably charge you. Note that it is important to have your electricity usage information which can be found by looking at your school’s electricity bill. If you haven’t already completed the carbon calculations portion of our website (which we suggest you do before making major improvements to your school), you will have not yet accessd your utility bills. We provide instructions on how to do that on the “Utility Footprint” page.
      • Here is a solar company that distributes and installs solar panels residentially and commercially solar panels in the US.
    • Getting solar panels can also make your school eligible for tax credits and rebates. You can get 30 percent of total system costs back from equipment and installation as a federal income tax credit when your school files its taxes. There are also Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) which, combined with the federal income tax credit, could cut as much as 50% off your total utility costs.
  • Educational opportunities!
    • Getting solar panels gives your school a great opportunity to teach its students about renewable energy, the social and scientific effects of climate change, and how the panels themselves work! This would show that your school is acknowledging important issues facing our present and our future, as well as providing their students with the knowledge and tools necessary to be productive members of a 21st century society.
  • A focus on the future
    • As a nation, we are only getting closer and closer to operating primarily on renewable energy. If your school were to start operating at least partially on solar power, they would already be ahead of the game. Your community could also serve as a role model for other schools in your area to start switching over to renewable energy alternatives.
  • Environmental Benefits
    • According to a study done at Stanford University, solar panels could allow schools to meet up to 75 percent of their electricity needs and reduce the education sector’s carbon footprint by as much as 28 percent.
    • Solar panels could help schools unplug from grids fueled by natural gas and coal power plants that produce air pollutants that can contribute to smog and acid rain as well as serious health problems.

Additional Resources:

Carbon Impact
Reduce Your Footprint
Ways To Proceed