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St. Benedict School in Geistown is going green.
In June 2009, school officials began looking at ways to cut costs and become more environmentally conscious at the same time.
“We wanted to place an emphasis on energy throughout the whole campus so we started to explore options that would help us become more cost efficient,” said Bob McGowan, a member of school’s advisory committee.
He said that after doing some research they got in touch with the eCap Network, based in Pittsburgh, whose goal is to develop and implement sustainable energy consumption strategies.
The first phase involved replacing all the lighting in the building.
“We did the changeout in November and finished in December, and it’s going to save us over $11,000 a year,” McGowan said.
The lights are equipped with occupancy sensors and shut off when rooms are empty.
In addition, small, single-pane windows have been replaced with larger windows that allow for more sunlight, reducing the need for overhead lighting.
Phase two is set to begin at the end of the school year and involves putting on an energy efficient roof with skylights over the gymnasium.
“They will be thermal pane windows and lights also will dim based on the amount of natural light,” McGowan said. “This will all be completed by the 2011-2012 school year.”
From there plans call for overhauling the school’s heating system and installing energy efficient boilers.
“If we take the two boilers we have now and change them with the energy efficient ones, we will immediately save 40 percent on our gas bill,” McGowan said.
Major renovations at the school were last done in the early 1980s, and funding for this project is coming from grants, private donations and school-budgeted money.
“With the money we are saving we will be reinvesting it back into beefing up our curriculum and technology and enhancing the IT department,” McGowan said.
The school also is collaborating with eCap on developing curriculum that incorporates energy saving concepts and environmentally friendly activities.
“Students are learning about why it’s important to reduce energy consumptions and your carbon imprint,” McGowan said. “It gets them involved.”
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Principal George Nace holds the door as students change classes Friday at St. Benedict’s School in Geistown. Todd Berkey
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Geistown pupils witness green strategies
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