CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield school board approved moving forward with a guaranteed energy savings project with the McClure Company at its meeting Monday night.
According to Superintendent Terry Struble, administrators have selected the following energy savings items at the Clearfield Area Elementary School:
- LED lighting upgrades (exterior and gymnasium);
- Building envelope upgrades;
- Boiler room upgrades;
- Automatic controls system upgrade;
- Air handling unit replacements;
- Chiller replacement and relocation; and
- Classroom unit ventilator replacement.
Struble said the UV replacement in the classrooms was an addition from what was originally presented to the board. The UVs are approaching the end of their useful life.
He said if the UVs were only repaired, they would continually need work done. By replacing the UVs (with a four-pipe system), it would mean for a more reliable performance and control.
Struble said the district would have building envelope upgrades done at the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School, because there’s a definite potential for an energy savings there, as well.
The total cost of the project is $2,790,898 and the 20-year energy and operational savings is $836,364, which Struble said he realizes doesn’t cover the costs up front.
However, he said that administrators believe they have found potential ways to cover the costs of the energy project without raising taxes.
Struble said they are anticipating a budget surplus of at least $500,000. It was also noted by Struble and Business Administrator Sam Maney that figure could grow to about $1.1 million.
They said the district is hoping to sell the former Girard-Goshen Elementary School, its River Road property and the former Clearfield Area Middle School property after its demolition.
Struble said if the district managed to sell Girard-Goshen, there would be a savings of around $30,000 annually on utilities, and this would result in a $300,000 savings over 10 years.
He said when he gave consideration to how the district would cover the costs, he only counted half the energy savings and looked at it as a “10 years or less type of item.”
Struble said he was trying to be on the low-end with figures for the property sales and budget surplus. He said they should be able to cover the costs with what should unfold in the next year or so.
He said the district would finance it with a line of credit, so that it pays as need be along the way. Once the project is completed, it would turn into a loan over 10 years.
Struble said if McClure Company receives the green light now, the project would be completed by fall. He said the total project cost would not change, as there wouldn’t be any change orders.
Struble also said the McClure Company guarantees the energy savings, and if the district doesn’t recover it, the company pays it back or fixes the issues to create the savings.
Maney said the district’s energy project items were not addressed during its building projects at CAES and CAJSHS. He said since then, it has “circled back around” and is now necessary maintenance.