“As a small rural school superintendent in Missouri it is my responsibility to find the best value I can and carefully discern how I spend every penny. Navitas met my districts needs and went above and beyond the call. They truly cared about my building needs and worked tirelessly with me to determine the best and most cost efficient course of action. Navitas reinvigorated our 1940’s WPA project high school building to continue educating the youth of our community into 2040. The service I received from Navitas before, during and even after the project has been priceless!”
Dr. Karl Janson, Superintendent Everton R-III School District
The Opportunity
Everton School District is a rural district located in Southwest Missouri. The district has a high school and an elementary school that are connected together in one building. The two schools were built in different phases. The high school portion of the building was built in the 1950s and much of its mechanical equipment, windows, and doors were original to the building. Many of these items were past their useful life, and had become a cause of concern among the school leaders and the community. In some places the windows had been boarded up to keep the snow and wind from blowing into the classroom. The high school boiler used propane as heat, which had become increasingly expensive over the years. The hot water radiators had minimal control and caused comfort issues during the winter. The roofs in the gym and the high school were past their useful life and often leaked during periods of heavy rain.
Technical Solution
Initially Navitas assessed the technical and economic feasibility of a variety of energy conservation measures and infrastructure projects. The projects included improvements to lighting, heating & cooling, roofing, window, and the building envelope. Navitas evaluated several heating and cooling systems to determine the system with the best life-cycle cost. From this evaluation it was determined that the school district would be better served by abandoning the existing heating system and window cooling units and install new, more energy efficient, heating and cooling systems. The savings achieved from these heating and cooling improvements, along with all the other improvements, helped offset the overall cost of the project.
Financial Solution
Recognizing the severity of the facility needs at Everton School District the community passed a bond issue that would address the school’s major infrastructure needs. Additionally, the school district applied for, and received, a low-interest energy loan through the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Together these funding sources paid for the entire project, which are being repaid in large part from the energy savings that are achieved through the project.
