Energy efficiency expected to save Sun Prairie High School $174,000 per year
08.24.10
The new Sun Prairie High School features some of the latest technologies for saving energy and using renewable energy resources, thanks in part to the New Construction Design Assistance program of Sun Prairie Utilities and nonprofit power supplier WPPI Energy, as well as incentive funding from Focus on Energy (Focus). Together, WPPI Energy, Sun Prairie Utilities, Focus and other energy experts helped the Sun Prairie Area School District design a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient facility.
"We commend the Sun Prairie Area School District and the new Sun Prairie High School for aggressively pursuing high standards for energy efficiency and incorporating renewable energy resources in their new facility," Tamara Sondgeroth, energy services representative for WPPI Energy, said at a presentation to the school board on August 23. "Energy-efficient buildings like this one deliver long-term savings and numerous environmental benefits."
The utilities' New Construction Design Assistance program provided expertise and funds to help implement energy-efficient design measures expected to reduce the school's energy costs by 42 percent.
Sondgeroth and Sun Prairie Utilities Manager Rick Wicklund presented the school district with a ceremonial check representing $89,804 in financial contributions toward the building's electric energy-saving features. The assistance was available to the school district because Sun Prairie Utilities, the local electric utility serving the school, is a member-owner of WPPI Energy. The award represents the largest New Construction Design Assistance incentive provided by WPPI Energy members to date.
Also on-hand for the school board meeting was Sean Currie, Focus on Energy's new construction business development manager. Currie presented a ceremonial check representing an additional $54,933 in incentive funding to help pay for natural gas-saving features in the building. Focus on Energy is Wisconsin's statewide program for energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Green Building Design Features
WPPI Energy and its 51 member utilities offer the New Construction Design Assistance program to help capture holistic energy savings by encouraging the design and construction of buildings as integrated systems. The utilities work with prospective building owners and developers, design professionals, and construction contractors to deliver high-performance, non-residential buildings that provide improved energy efficiency, reduction in energy use during periods of peak demand, improved systems performance, and greater comfort.
Among the many resulting sustainable features included in the Sun Prairie High School building are:
- Improved wall insulation to maintain indoor temperature and comfort
- High-performance lighting and reduced lighting power density
- Demand control ventilation with CO2 sensors in the auditorium
- High-efficiency ground source (geothermal) heat pumps
- Dedicated ventilation system that conditions incoming fresh air and reclaims heat/cold from outgoing vented air
Sun Prairie Utilities also provided and installed on the building's roof an array of solar photovoltaic panels to harness clean, renewable energy from the sun.
"The new Sun Prairie High School is an excellent example of the importance of planning for energy efficiency measures in the design stages of a new construction project," said Wicklund. "Thanks to smart planning, the school district will achieve significant energy savings and demand reduction in the new building for as long as the building exists. As a community-owned utility, we are pleased to make this contribution to building a better energy future in Sun Prairie."
Significant Savings
Electric measures implemented at Sun Prairie High School are projected to save more than 713,000 kilowatt-hours per year. In addition, as a result of the building's geothermal system, increased insulation and other efficient features, Focus anticipates that the school will save approximately 91,655 therms of natural gas annually. The combined natural gas and electric energy savings are expected to save the school a total of more than $174,000 per year.
View the fact sheet for more information about energy efficiency and renewable energy at Sun Prairie High School.
Energy Programs Available
WPPI Energy's 51 member utilities, including Sun Prairie Utilities, offer a variety of energy management programs and services specifically for schools, commercial and industrial facilities, including energy audits, energy management programs, technical training and more. For more information, visit www.wppienergy.org/business.
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