Apr. 2--A "behavior-based" energy efficiency program that helped Minnesota schools slash energy consumption is being considered by many area school districts this spring.

School districts in the Grant Wood Area Education Agency will be the first in the state offering participation in Schools for Energy Efficiency.

More than a dozen area school administrators attended a meeting Wednesday morning at the Clarion Hotel in Cedar Rapids to explain the program.

The program aims to reduce schools' annual energy use by 10 percent by increasing awareness of energy use and its consequences among building users and maintenance staff.

Since the program was introduced in 2002, nearly 600 participating schools have saved an average of 12 percent on their total annual energy consumption. Some of them have achieved savings of more than 20 percent, according to SEE's Web site.

Schools are required to pay $5,000 per building annually to participate, with a two-year commitment. They also are required to hire an energy coordinator or contract with an outside consultant to coordinate the program.

The return on investment to school districts from the program increases each year, according to the Minnesota results. In the first year, the average return on investment was $1.59 for every dollar. By the fourth year, it had increased to $4.57 for each dollar.

SEE was developed by Hallberg Engineering of Great Bear Lake, Minn., and is overseen by Energy Efficiency Programs Inc. of St. Paul, Minn. Krell Energy Efficiency of Ames introduced the program to Iowa.

Krell program manager Mary Schon said three investor-owned utilities have agreed to fund half of the cost per building -- $2,500 -- in the first year to get the program started. The utilities are Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy and Black Hills Energy.

The utilities also will provide free energy audits to help the schools identify areas for energy savings. The program will monitor energy bills to determine how energy use is changing.

Coming up with even half the $5,000-per-building fee may not be simple for districts, according to Grant Wood AEA Chief Administrator Ron Fielder, an enthusiastic supporter of SEE. School budgets are tight, and district administrators do not know in many cases if they'll have discretionary funds available to use for the program.

Schon said the program's advantages go beyond energy cost savings. Participation will influence energy-use behavior throughout the community, she said, and gain positive recognition for the school districts for saving energy and money.

Many of the actual energysaving strategies employed in the program are simple steps such as shutting off lights when rooms are not in use, and unplugging electric appliances that consume power even when they aren't in use.

Districts aren't required to enroll all their buildings. Alliant Energy product coordinator Ashley Martin said audits typically find the biggest energy savings opportunities in older school buildings, which were constructed before many energy-saving technologies and materials were available.

"Lighting is the big one," Martin said.

The typical school facility uses about 33 percent more energy than necessary, according to SEE.

-- Contact the writer: (319) 398-8317 or david.dewitte@gazcomm.com

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