Project Description
Hamilton Southeastern Schools (HSE) is one of the largest districts in Indiana, serving approximately 21,500 students across 22 school buildings. In 2008 HSE was experiencing elevated energy costs due to aging, ineffective building controls, and other issues that caused temperature fluctuation and uneven air distribution in the classrooms. In 2009, HSE partnered with Performance Services to implement the first Guaranteed Energy Savings project to invest in cost-effective capital improvements that maximize energy savings. Energy savings generated from the project were slated to cover project costs over a ten-year term; however, the project paid for itself in only five years. The effort has reduced utility consumption by 16.7%.
Since then, HSE has completed seven energy focused-projects and implemented Energy Leadership, a behavioral-based energy conservation program. Six district buildings have achieved ENERGY STAR® certification.
Project Highlights
- Converted constant volume reheat systems to variable air volume (VAV systems)
- Installed new digital controllers on existing VAV reheat boxes
- Optimization of control sequences
- Installed CO2 sensors on air handling units to ensure levels are below 1000 PPM with outside air dampers at minimum position
- Installed variable speed drives on single-zone units and constant volume reheat units
- Retrofitted inefficient lighting systems with energy-efficient lamps and electronic ballasts
- Installed high-efficiency condensing boilers
- Replaced obsolete pneumatic controls with a new digital building automation system tied to the District’s web-based controls system
- Energy Leadership Program
