ENERGY CONSERVATION RULES
Objectives:
Responsibilities:
-
Every person is expected to be an “energy
saver” as well as an “energy consumer.”
-
The
teacher is responsible for implementing the guidelines during the time
that class is in session.
-
The
custodian is responsible for control of common areas, i.e. halls,
cafeteria, etc.
- Since
the custodian is typically the last person to leave a building in the
evening, he/she is responsible for verification of the nighttime
shutdown, anyone leaving after shutdown shall be responsible for
turning out lights and heat.
-
The
principal is responsible for the total energy usage of their building.
-
The Energy
Manager performs routine audits of all facilities and communicates the
audit results to the appropriate personnel.
-
The Energy
Manager provides regular reports to Principals indicating performance
with regards to energy savings.
GENERAL
-
All unnecessary
lighting in unoccupied areas will be turned off. Teachers
should make certain that lights are turned off when leaving the
classroom when empty. Utilize natural lighting where appropriate.
- All
outside lighting shall be off during daylight hours.
- Gym
lights should not be left on unless the gym is being utilized.
-
All lights
will be turned off when students and teachers leave school.
Custodians will turn on lights only in the areas in which they are
working.
-
Refrain
from turning lights on unless definitely needed. Remember that lights
not only consume electricity, but also give off heat that places an
additional load on the air conditioning equipment and thereby
increases the use of electricity necessary to cool the room.
-
Classroom
doors shall remain closed when HVAC is operating. Ensure doors
between conditioned space and non-conditioned space remain closed at
all times (i.e. between hallways and gym or pool area).
-
All
exhaust fans should be turned off every day and during
unoccupied hours.
-
All office
machines (copy machines, laminating equipment, etc.) shall be switched
off each night and during unoccupied times. Fax machines
should remain on.
-
All
computers should be turned off each night. This includes the
monitor, local printer, and speakers. Network equipment is excluded.
-
All
capable PC’s should be programmed for the “energy saver” mode using
the power management feature. If network constraints restrict
this for the PC, ensure the monitor “sleeps” after 10-minutes of
inactivity.
|
Cooling Season Occupied Set Points:
75°F
– 78°F |
|
Heating Season Occupied
Set Points:
75°F
– 74°F |
-
Occupied temperature settings shall NOT be set below 75°F
- During
unoccupied times, the air conditioning equipment shall be off. The
unoccupied period begins when the students leave the area at the end
of the school day. It is anticipated that the temperature of the
classroom will be maintained long enough to afford comfort for the
period the teacher remains in the classroom after the students have
left.
- Air
conditioning start times may be adjusted (depending on weather) to
ensure classroom comfort when school begins.
-
Ceiling fans should be operated in all areas that have them.
-
Relative humidity levels shall not exceed 60% at any time.
- Air
conditioning should not be utilized in classrooms during the summer
months unless the classrooms are being used for summer school or
year-round school. Relative humidity levels should be monitored to
verify level remains below 60%. Air conditioning may be used by
exception only or in those schools that are involved in a
team-cleaning concept.
- In all
areas which have evaporative coolers such as shops, kitchens and
gymnasiums, the doors leading to halls which have air conditioned
classrooms or dining areas should be kept closed as much as possible.
- Where
cross-ventilation is available during periods of mild weather, shut
down HVAC equipment and adjust temperature with windows and doors.
Cross-ventilation is defined as having windows and/or doors to the
outside on each side of a room.
HEATING
EQUIPMENT
- Occupied temperature settings shall
NOT be above 74 °F.
- The unoccupied temperature setting
shall be 55°F (i.e. setback). This may be adjusted to a 60°F setting
during extreme weather.
- The
unoccupied time shall begin when the students leave an area.
- During
the spring and fall when there is no threat of freezing, all steam and
forced air heating systems should be switched off during unoccupied
times. Hot water heating systems should be switched off using the
appropriate loop pumps.
- Ensure all domestic hot water systems
are set no higher than 120°F or 140°F for cafeteria service (with
dishwasher booster.)
(After official approval by
administration a copy should be disseminated to all district personnel.
Copies should be posted on bulletin boards, teacher’s lounges, district
newsletters, etc.)
TRANSPORTATION
DEPARTMENT
SCHOOL BUS EMISSIONS IDLING RULE
Idling time shall be limited to seven (7) minutes maximum using high
idle during morning pre-trip warm-up.
Idling time shall be
limited to five (5) minutes maximum using high idle during the afternoon
and mid-day warm-ups.
When very briefly on
school property to quickly discharge or board students, the engine is
not required to be turned off.
When on school property
and a waiting period to board or discharge students is necessary, then
the engine is required to be immediately shut off and restarted only
when ready to leave the property.
When on a trip, the
engine should be turned off when waiting after arrival at the
destination and while waiting for the passengers. Idle time for the
return trip shall be no more than five (5) minutes maximum using high
idle.
Following the
above-required operating procedures will conserve fuel as well as
control and limit the amount of needless exhaust gas emissions emitted
into the atmosphere. The onboard engine electronic control system will
be reviewed periodically for compliance to the above operating
procedures.
The federal EPA
officially classifies all buses manufactured since 1994 equipped with
diesel engines as “clean air class” engines. New diesel engines
currently produced are much lower in their exhaust gas emission output.
This
rule supersedes any prior directives given.
