Snohomish County PUD Partners with Mukilteo School District on Resource Conservation Effort

Local schools are learning firsthand how energy efficiency can help them address increasingly tighter operating budgets. Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) and the Mukilteo School District have partnered through the utility’s Resource Conservation Manager (RCM) program to identify operational changes aimed at saving the school district more than $45,000 annually in energy costs.

“We applaud Mukilteo School District’s facilities and operations team for their proactive pursuit of energy savings to reduce expenses,” said PUD Senior Manager of Business Services Garth Williams. “We’re committed to working with our customers to identify all cost-effective conservation measures.”

The school district’s efforts are expected to reduce its electricity use by more than 650,000 kilowatt-hours annually, enough to power more than 50 homes. Based on its energy savings, the school district will be awarded a PUD RCM grant of nearly $20,000 this spring. Energy-efficiency efforts by the school under the RCM program focus on operational changes, including changing thermostat settings, shortening HVAC schedules and reducing energy usage when buildings aren’t occupied.

“Every dollar counts,” said Debra Fulton, Executive Director of Support Services for the school district. “As we continue to cut our operating budgets, saving money by using energy more efficiently becomes increasingly important to school districts because what we don’t spend on energy can instead be spent on providing a good education for students.”

The PUD’s Resource Conservation Manager program works with local school districts to designate key staff at schools to focus on meeting energy, water and garbage reduction goals. The RCM representative taps utility resources--including PUD programs and technical assistance for operational changes--to minimize operating costs and promote environmental stewardship.

In addition to participating in the RCM program, the Mukilteo School District will use a federal stimulus grant to upgrade its energy management system in several facilities. The PUD will provide financial incentives to help support equipment upgrades.

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