The Challenge
Seymour is a growing community in southern Missouri. The Seymour R-II School District serves a student population of approximately 1,000 students in grades PreK-12, providing an enviable student/teacher ratio of 14 to 1.
The high school, which was built in 1966, got an addition in 2000 to house middle school students. A hallway joins the two buildings.
By 2005, the high school was in serious need of system upgrades. The school’s aging HVAC systems were no longer energy-efficient – a situation that was compounded by rising energy costs. Variations in classroom temperatures and outdated lighting technology created comfort issues for students and staff alike.
In addition, single-pane windows and open areas in the ceilings contributed to increased energy usage in the high school. Moreover, the existing electrical wiring lacked the capacity to support installation of an air-conditioning system for the gym.
Unfortunately, the building and maintenance fund did not include sufficient funds to improve systems in the high school, so the district turned to performance contracting. The Seymour R-II School District began searching for a solution that would permit upgrades to the high school without straining an already limited budget for capital improvements.
Schneider Electric, a leading provider of building automation systems, security and energy solutions, proposed a performance contract that would enable the district to fund the upgrades at the high school with a lease purchase.
The district also asked Schneider Electric to act as a general contractor to oversee additional improvements, such as window replacements. And although a portion of the project was scheduled to be executed during the summer months, other improvements would have to occur during the school year when classes were in session.
Customer Benefits:
• Improved aesthetics
• Upgraded energy-efficient equipment
• System interoperability
• Single point of contact with accountability
Project at a Glance:
Project Type: Energy Performance Contract
Location: Seymour, Missouri, USA
Guaranteed Annual Savings: $8,161
