Glenbard District 87 Energy Savings

From Energy Waste to Efficiency Wins

Glenbard Township High School District 87, the third-largest high school district in Illinois, serves approximately 8,000 students across four high schools. Committed to providing optimal learning environments, the district recognized the need to modernize its facilities to enhance energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and overall student comfort. In 2014, Glenbard Township High School District 87 embarked on a comprehensive, multi-phase energy performance contracting project to revitalize its schools and generate energy savings.

Over 13 project phases, the district implemented a series of strategic upgrades across all four high school buildings, focusing on:

Classroom Environment Improvements: Enhancing air delivery systems to provide the proper amount of outside air to each space, ensuring consistent temperatures, appropriate humidity levels, low mechanical noise, and optimal lighting.
Central Plant Modernizations: Upgrading HVAC systems, including the installation of new rooftop units and high-efficiency boilers, to improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
Energy Conservation Measures: Implementing LED lighting, controls upgrades, roof replacements, exhaust fans, and piping replacements to reduce energy consumption and operational costs.
Solar Energy Initiatives: Installing a 1.17 MW solar photovoltaic system at Glenbard East High School, comprising approximately 2,900 solar panels, is expected to generate an average annual production of 1.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.

Project Impact

These comprehensive improvements have led to significant benefits for the district:

Financial Savings: An annual guaranteed energy and operational savings of $9,328,299 with expected savings of $93 million over 10 years.
Environmental Impact: The roof-mounted solar array at Glenbard East High School generates an average annual production of 1.4 million kilowatt hours of electricity. That is enough electricity to power 116 homes annually, avoiding more than 1,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions each year.
ENERGY STAR^®: In 2018, Glenbard North High School and Glenbard West High School earned the ENERGY STAR^® certification, distinguishing them among the top public schools in the state and nation for superior energy performance.

Through this initiative, Glenbard Township High School District 87 has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to providing optimal learning environments, ensuring that students and staff benefit from safe, efficient, and modern facilities that support educational success.

ENERGY STAR^® News Story