District 205 is also a winner here, having reported an average of 20 to 30 percent in annual energy consumption reduction, an ability to redirect saved dollars into other important initiatives, a reduced carbon footprint and an overall awareness of how everyone can individually and collectively make a difference.

ENERGY STAR is a joint program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that encourages people to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. In 2010 alone, it helped Americans save nearly $18 million on their utility bills, as well as avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 33 million cars.

“We’re extremely pleased to have Fremd and Conant High Schools receive this special national recognition,” said the district’s Superintendent Nancy Robb. “Through the energy conservation efforts of our staff, not only at both of these schools, but district-wide, we’re saving taxpayer dollars while also helping protect our local environment.”

Robb continued to say that since beginning the program with Energy Ed, District 211 has reduced energy consumption by nearly 24 percent and saved more than $4.4 million in energy costs. While the agreement ended in 2008, Energy Education has since provided extended training and consultation services at no cost.

Students and faculty are turning off lights, unplugging computers and being quick to shut freezer and refrigerator doors. Meadow Hill has decided to keep the cafeteria dark in the off hours, and both schools are searching for innovative ways to cut back. Energy Education worked closely with the district on messaging and internal communications, and is receiving terrific feedback. Pitting the schools against each other in a friendly contest was an ideal way to spark enthusiasm and awareness of the energy program.

The competition runs through the end of the month, and the school that saves the most energy will take home a trophy and be awarded with an all-you-can-eat feast.

The energy education company Energy Education Inc. received the ENERGY STAR Award for Sustained Excellence. The Highest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy Honor is awarded to the company that has demonstrated continued leadership in energy efficiency and protecting the environment. Energy Education Inc. will be recognized for this honor at the Energy Star Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 12^th. According to Bob Sauchelli of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and ENERGY STAR, Energy Education Inc. is a role model to all companies nation wide. “Energy Education has received our highest honor, the ENERGY STAR Award for Sustained Excellence, because of their continued commitment to energy efficiency and preserving our environment,” he said. “Their energy efficiency program and the efforts of their clients nationwide demonstrate daily how they can protect the environment while saving energy and money.”

“We are extremely pleased to receive this unprecedented recognition from ENERGY STAR,” said DeKalb Central Superintendent Sherry Grate. “Our energy-conservation efforts are saving taxpayer dollars while also helping protect our local environment. Since we began partnering with the conservation experts at Energy Education Inc. on a serious energy conservation program, we have saved more than $4.6 million, and the environmental impact is equal to taking 6,044 cars off the street or planting 810,462 trees in our community. We are proud that our energy-saving success is being recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency.”

Carolyn Bury, ENERGY STAR Program Manager in Chicago, presented the district with the National ENERGY STAR Leader Award. “As an ENERGY STAR Leader, DeKalb County Central United School District is part of an elite group of organizations that have improved energy efficiency across all of the buildings within the organizations,” Bury said. “The fact that each building in the district has an ENERGY STAR rating is a remarkable achievement. Not only is the district an ENERGY STAR Leader, they are only the second organization in the nation to achieve an energy use reduction of 50 percent across the entire organization!”

To combat rising energy and utility costs, the district entered into a partnership with Energy Education to implement a comprehensive people-driven energy conservation program throughout all its buildings and campuses. Energy Education Inc. guarantees the conservation program will save taxpayer dollars. While the school district’s contract with Energy Education has ended, the company still provides energy consulting services free of charge.

“Each of us can make a difference through energy conservation,” said Superintendent Grate. “Ed Benbow, our Energy Education Specialist, leads our school community in a daily effort to improve the environment and save money district-wide, which in turn permits current funds to be utilized elsewhere. Many changes, both large and small have been implemented to realize energy savings without affecting our comfort or educational goals. In the process, we have all gained a sense of accomplishment from EPA’s recognition.”

ENERGY STAR Leaders manage energy strategically across an entire portfolio of buildings using EPA’s standardized measurement tool for tracking building energy use. These select organizations are recognized by EPA for improving the energy performance of their portfolio by ten percent or more. The highest leaders recognition identifies those organizations with portfolios that perform in the top 25 percent of energy efficiency nationwide based upon the average of the buildings in the portfolio.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved nearly $17 billion on their energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles. Learn more at energystar.gov/leaders

Energy Education’s innovative Transformational Energy Management™ process trains client personnel to implement behavioral and organizational change that substantially reduces energy consumption without the purchase of new equipment. The program is funded solely and rapidly by the savings it generates, allowing clients to redirect saved energy dollars to other priorities. In 25 years, Energy Education has worked with more than 1,100 educational and ministry organizations, helping clients save over $2.2 billion in utility costs. Energy Education Inc. was named 2009 & 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Click here to view the original news release on DeKalb County Central United School Districts’s partnership with Energy Education Inc.

Energy Education Inc. showed them, which small and big changes could lead to strong and promising consequences. The efforts of many components, including administrations, teachers, and students is needed to make a difference. Walker underlined this point as he looks back on the drop to below 400,000 kilowatt-hours by December 2010. “Each of us can make a difference through energy conservation, because people use energy, school sites don’t,” he said. “There are dozens and dozens of changes, large and small, that we have implemented that are saving energy without affecting our comfort or educational goals.”

Click here to view the original article on Energy Education Inc. and the Turlock School District’s Energy Star label.

The results of the energy conservation program did not only show after eight years but practically immediately. According to Chuck Zappala, facility director, less than 5 percent of all American public schools have earned Energy Star awards. The district shared two years’ worth of data with other districts to portray their energy usage and make an in-depth analysis for each facility. According to Zappala it showed the successful management of his district. “The results showed that the average cost of energy use per square foot and per student in the Londonderry Schools was almost 40 percent lower than the state average,” he said. “Based on the information provided in the survey, we were invited to continue the process to earn the awards.”

Click here to view the original article about Energy Education Inc. and the Londonderry School District.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central High Schools in District 86 with Energy Star Labels for 2010. These two schools are the only ones of 48 primary and secondary schools in Illinois to receive the Energy Star Label. The award is given to those buildings that are able to submit data showing they are energy-efficient practices with a rating of 75 or higher on the EPA’s scale of 1-100. This data can be gathered by keeping track of water, natural gas and electric usage through a third-part software system. The district has been working with national consulting firm Energy Education Inc. and is currently not able to portray clear figures on how much the District has saved since the beginning of the relationship.

Hinsdale Central scored 96 and Hinsdale South 94, which marks them more energy efficient than 96 and 94 percent of similar buildings nationwide. One of the main ways to cut down their energy cost was to decrease the amount of power used when the buildings were unoccupied. Superintendant Nicholas Wahl said a few words about their strategy and procedures. “We make sure we’re not overheating areas and make sure we’re not cooling areas that are not occupied.”

Click here to view the original article.

The schools listed below qualified for the award: Barnes Center (ALC), Barrackville Elementary/Middle, Blackshere Elementary, East Fairmont Junior High, East Park Elementary, Fairmont Senior High, Fairview Elementary, Fairview Middle, Jayenne Elementary, Mannington Middle, Monongah Elementary, Monongah Middle, North Marion High, Pleasant Valley Elementary, Rivesville Elementary/Middle and White Hall Elementary.

Monday evening the awards were presented to the schools by Mike Stalnaker and Blaine Duggan from Energy Star. The ceremony took place at the Marion County Board of Education meeting.

According to Superintendent Thomas Deadrick, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency honor schools, which demonstrate their contribution to the environment through energy efficiency.

Even though this is a huge accomplishment, the board is unsure about participating in the Energy Education Inc. Program in 2011. Budget constraints may prohibit their participation for the following year, according to Deadrick. In order to be a part of the program the district has to pay fees.

“Every parent knows the Energy Star label, and now you’re going to have it in a permanent place in your school,” Duggan said.

Click here to view the original article.