“The work completed on our energy conservation project of $1.9 million dollars was a substantial risk for our district and Navitas professionally walked through a step-by-step process. I am pleased to say that as a team we have exceeded our expectations and the promised savings are real and the student learning environment is greatly improved.
I was pleased with the thoroughness of the project’s engineering and their willingness to take responsibility for changes that was Navitas’ responsibility. Navitas teams with you to accomplish your energy conservation goals.
Wakefield has the joy of being declared an “Energy Star” school in 2016.”
Mark Bejot, Superintendent Wakefield Community School District
The Opportunity
Wakefield Community Schools has a high school and elementary school that are connected in one campus. The schools had been taken care of and very well maintained, but the mechanical infrastructure of the facilities had been aging and the equipment was past its useful life. Due to their age, many of the systems did not operate in a manner that met standards and was cause for concern. The radiators in Wakefield Elementary School were old and had not been providing the appropriate ventilation for the students. The boilers and chiller were also old and the rooftop units on Wakefield High School were not operating properly. The temperature controls system was antiquated and did not meet the needs of an efficient operational staff. All of this resulted in an increase in instances of equipment failures and teacher/ staff complaints.
Technical Solution
Initially Navitas assessed the technical and economic feasibility of a comprehensive list of facility improvements. These improvements included lighting, electrical, heating, cooling, ventilation, mechanical equipment, motors, technology, kitchen equipment, security and architectural features such as roofs, insulation, doors, and windows. The upgrades identified were divided into two categories, energy conservation measures and facility improvement measures. The energy conservation measures are those that were recommended to be implemented because of their ability to fully pay for themselves in a reasonable amount of time through the cost savings they create. Facility improvement measures are upgrades that may be partially funded through savings, but were planned for implementation because of education needs or because equipment is past its useful life and is at risk of failing.
Financial Solution
Wakefield Community Schools obtained financing as a loan and received approval from the State of Nebraska Energy Office to support an artificially low interest rate. They also received rebates from the Nebraska Public Power District. Together these funding sources paid for the entire project and it is being repaid in large part from the energy savings that are achieved.
