Ameresco announced that the Spackenkill Union Free School District received $78,488 in incentives for its energy efficiency project, and is expected to continue to benefit from energy savings of more than $200,000 annually, on average, over the 18-year contact. At a project celebration in late May, Ameresco representatives presented District Superintendent Dr. Lois Powell and Board President Thomas Keith a ceremonial check representing the incentives paid to the District by NYSERDA.
The nearly $2.8 million comprehensive Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), contracted in June of 2013, included 16 energy conservation measures (ECMs), and was designed to help reduce utility bills, upgrade facility infrastructure, improve systems reliability, and increase overall operational efficiency. Some of the measures included replacing boilers, installing advanced energy management systems (EMS) district-wide, replacing steam traps, enhancing building envelope, and replacing lighting systems district-wide. The infrastructure upgrades were designed to deliver greater energy efficiency and operational cost savings, enhanced comfort for building occupants, and reduced greenhouse gasses and emissions, while also supporting the District’s commitment to social responsibility and environmental stewardship.
“This guaranteed energy savings performance project reflects our commitment to energy conservation, including reducing our operating costs and achieving our sustainability goals,” said Dr. Lois Powell, District Superintendent. “Our contract with Ameresco allowed us to replace our aging infrastructure and upgrade our buildings. The project includes efficiency measures that we expect will continue to deliver over $200,000 in annual energy savings, on average, benefiting the schools and local community for years to come.”
“Ameresco is honored to work with the Spackenkill School District for its energy performance contract and to help foster significant upgrades and improvements throughout the District,” said Michael Daigneault, Vice President, Ameresco. “We’re also delighted to have helped the District realize significant savings, and to secure the local incentives to assist in covering the project costs. Identifying and instituting operational efficiencies and energy conservation measures that pay for themselves through the resulting savings, and are budget-neutral to the schools, has been particularly rewarding.”
The environmental benefits from this project include the annual reduction of greenhouse gases equivalent to 126 automobiles removed from the road or 71,795 gallons of gasoline not burned.
About Spackenkill Union Free School District
The Spackenkill Union Free School District, also known as Spackenkill School District, is a New York school district in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York. The District was chartered by the New York State Legislature in 1865 and is one of about 130 remaining union free school districts within the state. The uniqueness of remaining independent without centralization with other districts has helped Spackenkill continue to be a small and close-knit school district. It includes four schools: Nassau Elementary School, Hagan Elementary School, Orville A. Todd Middle School, and Spackenkill High School. For more information, visit www.spackenkillschools.org.