Elk Grove Unified School District Energy Conservation Implementation Manual 2010 2011 Elk Grove Unified School District 9510 Elk Grove Florin Road Elk Grove, CA 95624 http://www.egusd.net/energy 1
Energy Conservation 2010-2011 Implementation Manual Table of Contents Introduction... 3 Mission Statement... 3 Goals... 3 Background... 3 Getting Started... 4 Energy Conservation Program... 4 Raising Awareness... 4 Marketing Tools... 4 Energy Coordinator; Elementary; Secondary and Departments... 5 How to build an Energy Conservation Team... 6 Program Timeline... 6 Raising Awareness Optional Ideas... 7 Energy Assembly... 7 Additional Awareness Activities... 8 Education Optional Ideas... 8 Celebrating Success... 8 Award Program... 8 Site Level Celebrations... 8 Contacts... 9 2
INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY CONSERVATION Mission Statement The Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) is dedicated to energy conservation. We believe that energy conservation is important to save natural resources, protect the environment and to set an example for students and the community. Energy Conservation will allow the district to save money on energy costs, redirecting those dollars back into programs and services for students. The Energy Conservation program is designed to educate everyone about energy conservation and to promote positive energy saving habits. Goals 1. Educate students, staff, and community on the importance of energy conservation. 2. Reduce EGUSD s environmental impact through responsible use of natural resources. 3. Reduce energy consumption in all buildings so that district funds can be redirected for other uses. 4. Empower administrators to make decisions that favorably impact the use of energy at their site. 5. Promote energy awareness and encourage energy efficient behaviors among all staff and students. 6. Engage students in active responsible citizenship through energy activities. 7. Realize $1 million in energy savings throughout the district. Background The EGUSD Board of Education adopted Board Policy 3511 to encourage energy conservation throughout the district. Based on BP 3511, the district also developed guidelines for energy conscious building standards for all sites. The Energy Conservation Program has been developed to educate staff, students and the community about energy conservation while reducing energy consumption in our schools and departments. Schools are encouraged to create an Energy Conservation team that consists of the school principal, the lead custodian or energy coordinator and student ambassadors or energy monitors. The team is responsible for encouraging energy conservation at their site. Departments are encouraged to find a volunteer to act as the Energy Coordinator for their office. TIP: Studies have shown that by turning out the lights in a classroom when they are not needed can save $50 per classroom per year. How many classrooms are there in your school? 3
GETTING STARTED Energy Conservation 2010-2011 Program The Energy Conservation program is based on raising awareness through education. The goal of Elk Grove Unified School District is to save $1 million in energy costs during the 2010-2011 school year. Each school site is asked to have a volunteer Energy Coordinator. The Education Center, Annex and Gerber Road sites will also participate in Energy Conservation with each department having a volunteer Energy Coordinator. Awards will be given to school sites based upon each site reaching their goal on energy savings. Energy Conservation Toolkit items will include awareness materials and tools to be used as part of the Energy Conservation Program. More information can be found online at www.egusd/energy. Raising Awareness Each site will be provided with Bright Ideas posters to display in classrooms and common areas. All sites will also receive Staff Tips posters and Custodial Tips posters to hang in workrooms. Other marketing materials have been designed by Communications and are optional. Depending how much involvement you want, these materials are optional and can be found online or by calling Communications at 686-7732. Marketing Tools ALL DISTRICT Tools Provided to all Sites Item Bright Ideas: Poster All classrooms and offices Staff tips All school and office workrooms Custodial tips All custodial workrooms Elementary Classroom Energy Monitor Toolkit For teachers who want to participate with students in their classroom. Includes energy monitor badge, small guidebook, classroom pledge and reusable classroom checklist. Secondary ASB posters Full color poster to hang in ASB classrooms to inspire energy conservation among students. Provided to all sites Provided to all sites Provided to all sites Optional Toolkits are available to interested elementary teachers Contact Communications to obtain a toolkit Provided to all secondary sites 4
ALL DISTRICT Optional Online Downloadable Tools Energy Conservation Implementation Optional Manual Filled with ideas and suggestions to help implement a program Energy Audit Form Optional Tool for doing a fast audit of rooms. Energy Website Links Providing ideas for energy games, assemblies, tips, factoids Energy Quest Game (Energy Jeopardy-style online game) http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/wattsthat_flash/wattsthat_1.html Fundraiser selling CFL light bulbs: http://www.juniorenergy.org/faq.aspx Watt Watchers Activities (free items to print or download) http://wattwatchers.org/pages/activities.htm Peak Students Assemblies http://peakstudents.com/teachers_corner/energy_assemblies_.asp Alliant Energy Kids Fun Facts http://www.alliantenergykids.com/energyandtheenvironment/saving Energy/022393 Energy Kids (good website for games, activities and awards) http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=3 Kids Saving Energy (games and activities) http://www.eere.energy.gov/kids/games.html Energy Coordinator Each school principal and department are invited to identify a volunteer to become the energy coordinator. Responsibilities include launching the program and getting people excited about energy conservation. The energy coordinator can learn about the program online via www.egusd/energy. Elementary Schools Elementary school classrooms have the option to have a student Energy Classroom Monitor. Interested teachers can contact Communications for Toolkit items. The toolkit contains information for an Energy Classroom Monitor which includes a classroom pledge, Energy Monitor badge, Energy Monitor guide and reusable classroom checklist. 5
Secondary Schools Secondary Principals are given the option to include students in their energy conservation program. We would suggest leadership students for this project. A colorful poster is available for ASB classrooms. Department Offices We are asking each department to identify an energy coordinator. Each office site will receive posters to hang with the option for other marketing materials available from Communications. TIP: Keep it fun! Try doing different things to keep interest in the program. Make announcements, such as Are you saving energy? or state a quick energy fact. Consider having contests for the class/department or the class or person that is most improved in changing a habit. Raising Awareness through Education The Communications Department will supply newsletter articles, energy tips/facts for school announcements and other communications to assist with energy conservation awareness. HOW TO BUILD YOUR ENERGY CONSERVATION TEAM The Energy Conservation program in your school/department should be a coordinated team effort. Your team could consist of an administrator, the Energy Coordinator, a building support person (lead custodian), a staff member and students. The team members do not have to be energy experts. They just need to be willing to participate. Having administrative staff that believes energy conservation is important will help give the Energy Conservation team creditability to the staff and students. At school sites, the number of students to select for the Energy Conservation team is at your discretion. The students should be interested in energy and environmental issues and be able to act responsibly. It is important to select reliable and trustworthy students, such as leadership students that can be depended upon to plan and complete a task given. 6
ENERGY AWARENESS MONTH Sample Energy Assembly October is Energy Awareness month. During this month, each school could host an assembly to introduce the Energy Conservation Program and discuss ways to conserve energy at school, home and in the community. Students from all grade levels could participate in the assembly. Sample Assembly Agenda *Discussion points for an assembly are in italics I. Introduction of Energy Conservation program (Overview) Energy Conservation is a program developed to educate the school and community about energy efficiency while reducing energy consumption in schools. The Energy Conservation program is based on raising awareness through education. II. III. IV. Meet the student team members and sponsor(s) The Energy Conservation team will be introduced to the school. Team members include the energy coordinator, students, an administrator, a building support person (custodial staff member). Ways to Conserve Energy The Energy Conservation team will discuss ways the school/department can conserve energy. The team could do a skit, energy jeopardy, or any other creative way to teach the school/department about energy conservation. Activities and Games View the Energy Website Links on page 5 for ideas. Additional Awareness Activities There are many ways students and staff can raise awareness about saving energy at your site. Here are a few examples: Communication: Make daily or weekly announcements with energy tips, recognition of classes/offices that are doing well, upcoming energy events and school newsletter articles. Education: Have upper grade students teach lessons about energy to primary grades. Present energy saving ideas for the home at a PTA meeting. Introduce your team and its plans to the teachers at a monthly faculty meeting. Signage: Create an energy bulletin board; post energy efficiency information or posters throughout the school. Create signs for various machines telling how much energy they use. Post energy tip-for-the-week. 7
Technology: Prepare a PowerPoint, video or DVD with energy saving tips. Create a documentary with photos of your energy activities. Design a school web page just for energy. Publicity: Announce school energy events and/or send your energy news stories and photos to: Torrey Johnson, Communications: tjohnsaa@egusd.net Celebration Event: Host an event to celebrate your Energy Conservation successes! Energy Shut Down for School Breaks School breaks are an excellent opportunity for energy conservation. There are many things that can be done to conserve energy while school is closed. Energy Conservation teams should work with building support staff to complete the shut down for each break. CELEBRATING SUCCESS Energy Conservation Award Program The Energy Conservation Award Program has been developed to reward school sites for their efforts in energy conservation. School Site Goal Each school site has a concrete energy savings goal based on their baseline performance from the 2008-2009 school year. Schools current energy usage will be compared to their 2008-2009 baseline year performance since a program was not in place that year. Awards Schools that reach or exceed their energy savings goal will receive a share of the money from energy savings. The Energy Coordinators may request information on their saving results from Eileen Cruz in Facilities: efcruz@egusd.net. This information will also be shared on the district s website via a thermometer to show EGUSD energy conservation progress and a bar graph to show school site progress. Site Level Celebrations Here are some ideas if you choose to celebrate the success of the energy conservation program at your site or department: Sparkler awards (certificates) for students, teachers or staff who are doing a great job saving energy. Exemplary students or staff could become Energy Queen/King for a Day. Recognize classes with good energy habits at assemblies or announcements. 8
Grow you energy conservation program by attempting to recycle toner cartridges, plastic bags or bottles and cans. Let custodial staff know how much you appreciate their daily efforts to manage heating and lighting systems. Talk about the success in school newsletters or on your school s webpage. Brag about your success to Communications. ENERGY CONSERVATION CONTACTS Robert Pierce Associate Superintendent, Facilities & Planning Elk Grove Unified School District 916-686-7711 rpierce@egusd.net Michael Allen Director, Maintenance & Operations Elk Grove Unified School District 916-686-7745 mallen@egusd.net Marketing Materials Contact: Communications Department 916-686-7732 communication@egusd.net or www.egusd.net/energy 9