Schneider Electric -
June 1, 2009
Illinois School District Opts for Energy-Efficiency Project
TAC Performance Contact Alleviates Facility Problems
Dallas – June 1, 2009 – The Ashton-Franklin Center (AFC) Community Unit School District No. 275 based in Ashton, Ill., is implementing more than $1 million in facility enhancements designed to improve operations, comfort and efficiency in the AFC Elementary School building. TAC, the building management and energy services business of Schneider Electric, will complete the work as a performance contract with the district. The AFC School District is financing the project primarily with the state’s Health Life Safety Bonds program, which allows the district to bond for projects that address major needs inside its facilities. TAC guarantees that the AFC schools will reduce utility costs by $10,000 annually when the project is completed in August 2009.
Serving approximately 600 students in the communities of Ashton and Franklin Grove in Northern Illinois, the AFC School District has three facilities. The elementary school containing grades K-4 has a number of problems, including roof leaks, drafty windows, poorly functioning energy management system ( EMS), and escalating utility costs that TAC will address through the performance contract.
“The roof at the elementary school leaks so badly that during strong rains we have seen standing water in several areas of the older section of the building,” said John Zick, superintendent of the AFC School District. “In addition, single pane windows let in cold air during the winter and the old pneumatic controls system was not functioning properly. All these issues led to comfort complaints by students and staff and high energy costs for the district. Using the Health Life Safety Bonds to complete the performance contract will resolve these problems and modernize our school.”
Performance contracting offers many long-term benefits for school districts, such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection. Typically, new, more efficient equipment and upgraded facility automation systems maximize energy efficiency and generate utility savings. TAC guarantees the amount of savings performance contracting projects will achieve and agrees to pay the difference if that amount is not realized.
“TAC has worked as a full partner with the AFC schools on this project to develop scope, budgets and financing options through state Health Life Safety program,” said Shon Anderson, vice president of sales, TAC Energy Solutions. “Once completed, the AFC School District will enjoy impressive energy savings based on TAC’s expertise in delivering cost-saving projects that help our customers achieve more with their energy while using fewer of our natural resources.”
TAC will address AFC school’s facilities from roofing leaks to comfort complaints through this performance contact. In addition to a new roof, energy conservation measures will include updates to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, installing double pane windows, and replacing the existing EMS with a new DDC system. Furthermore, TAC will coordinate multiple subcontractors to meet the project’s tight timeline that calls for substantial completion of all work before school begins at the end of August.