Schools cash in on savings

Efforts to conserve energy last year have earned some Charleston County schools a share of the $235,563 they saved.

Thirty-two of the district's 77 schools spent less than their budgets for utilities, and they will receive 20 cents for every dollar saved, about $47,000 total, to spend any way they like. The remaining savings go to the district's general fund, which pays for teachers' salaries and classroom expenses.

The refund is part of the district's three-year voluntary energy conservation program that was started last year and was designed to save money on rising utility costs.

"We are greatly encouraged by these initial results, but we also know we need to continue to monitor the effectiveness of the program over a longer period of time and continue to convey the importance of this program and conservation," said Ervin Robeson, the district's supervisor of the Utilities Management Office.

The district's goal last year was to save $400,000, and that will again be the district's target for savings. Although five schools closed this year, rate increases and new school buildings opening caused the district's overall utility budget, which includes electricity, natural gas, propane, fuel oil, water and sewer costs, to grow by about $400,000 to $10.9 million this year.

The school that used the smallest percent of its utilities budget was Liberty Hill, a small school for students with severe social, emotional or behavioral disabilities. It spent only 80.7 percent of its budget. Charleston Progressive was among the top five energy-saving schools, and it will receive a $2,569 rebate.

Principal Wanda Wright-Sheats said she planned to ask her school's faculty about how they wanted to spend that money because without them, the savings wouldn't have happened.

"It really was the teachers carrying through with me saying let's conserve," she said. "Without them turning off lights and computers, we would not have been able to do this."

Teachers gave up the convenience of refrigerators and microwaves in their classrooms, and the school stopped using automatic sprinklers to water its lawn. Students also began a recycling program that kept with the school's theme of environmental conscientiousness, she said.

Wright-Sheats said she expects the school's conservation efforts to continue this year, and she thought the monetary incentive would be a motivator for students and staff.

"Every little bit helps," she said.

The district decided to make the energy conservation program a voluntary one because officials didn't want it to be another mandate, Robeson said. Still, they wanted all schools to participate, and they tried to encourage interest and participation through flyers, monthly newsletters and talking to school leaders, he said.

"It is our hope that the rebates given this year will entice more participation from all the schools," he said.

The program, which received the board's approval, will last for three years because officials wanted more than one year of results to convey the initiative's success, Robeson he said. Factors such as weather and the number of after-school programs can affect energy use, and the results over time will better show schools' energy consumption, he said.

School principals are receiving a monthly newsletter that reinforces the importance of the program and provides conservation tips. The initiative has been discussed and encouraged at district and school-level meetings, Robeson said.

Reach Diette Courrégé at dcourrege@postandcourier.com or 937-5546.