Two elementary schools have been awarded the federal Energy Star designation given for energy efficiency, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced Jan. 20. Both Reid Park and Winding Springs elementary schools were recognized as among the nation’s most efficient school buildings in 2009.
The Energy Star program was created by the Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the Department of Energy in 1992. The program is voluntary and market-based, and is intended to encourage more energy-efficient buildings and appliances so that the nation’s carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.
“This rating is significant, not just for CMS, but for the whole community,” said Peter C. Gorman, superintendent. “We are one of the biggest employers and entities in Mecklenburg County, and that means our conservation of resources can have a substantial impact because we’re a big user of resources. As a school district, we have the opportunity to lead the way on wise and sustainable use of resources.”
To save an energy costs at schools, CMS is using an energy-efficient design template for new schools and making older schools more efficient where possible.
“Our energy-conservation initiatives include retrofitting lighting for more efficiency, monitoring schools' energy use to detect unusual changes in usage and having an employee at each school serve as an energy coordinator to help keep the campus running energy efficient,” said Phil Berman, executive director of facilities. “Energy conservation is a team effort where CMS employees from many different departments help make this happen.”
Students are also helping with energy conservation by being appointed as the energy monitor to help make sure lights and computers are turned off when leaving a classroom. Some schools also install atriums in certain areas of the campus to provide natural light in hallways where electrical lights would be used instead.
Reid Park and Winding Springs join 76 other buildings in Mecklenburg County that have earned the Energy Star designation since 2005, including a number of Harris Teeter and Food Lion grocery stores, professional and office buildings and the Government Center.
Neither school is brand new. Reid Park was built in 1994 and has 87,292 square feet of space. Winding Springs, with 87,272 square feet of space, was built in 1995. Both buildings were designed to use as much natural light as possible in classrooms, and both schools have dual lighting systems (allowing for use of less artificial light when daylight is available) and carefully regulated heating and cooling. District officials emphasized that good planning and construction, as well as ongoing maintenance, custodial efforts and staff diligence, have kept both schools operating efficiently.