Putting the 'we' in energy
With everyone pitching in, part-time manager helps district save nearly $330K

By Mark Schaaf
Staff Writer
Posted: Oct. 10, 2007

While children and teachers are away from their classrooms, Mike Datza walks around, looking to save money for the Greenfield school district.

In an age of budget crunches and rising energy costs, Datza's part-time job as energy manager and new district practices helped save almost $330,000 on utility bills over the past year and a half.

The savings have occurred since the school district's partnership with Dallas-based Energy Education Inc. began in May 2006. The district saved $228,000 in the first year, and the savings have continued in the second, totaling about a 29.5 percent difference in costs.

"We're putting more money toward education rather than utilities," Datza said. "That's really the whole goal of the program."

Datza surveys the various buildings before and after school several times a week, as well as some weekends and holiday vacations, for a total of about 15 to 20 hours a week.

Educating everyone
Simple things, such as closing doors and windows to keep temperatures constant and turning off computers and lights, make a difference. They are the kinds of things Datza routinely checks and tries to ingrain in the minds of students and staff.

The district has not made many capital improvements, but rather has focused on individuals' behaviors to save money. Since the Energy Education partnership began, teachers and other school employees have embraced those energy-saving practices, Datza said.

"It's funny because now they'll see me and I'll see them shutting off lights, closing doors," he said with a laugh. "But I think people are actually realizing that it makes a difference, because the savings are substantial and we've done a really great job. People are participating in the program."

As a result of the savings and cost avoidance, the district now budgets less for utilities.

Worth the investment
Datza takes on the job in addition to his regular duties as building and grounds supervisor, a position in which he became familiar with the various school buildings and their electrical systems. During the first year, he was able to identify many energy-wasting mechanisms and appliances within school buildings.

The school pays about $18,500 annually for the energy manager position, which Superintendent Conrad Farner said is a good investment as the district faces a budget crunch.

"If there is a question of worth and the $300,000 in avoidance does not justify the position, it is worth noting that we would have to pay someone to put in those hours whether we went with Energy Education or not," Farner said.

With Greenfield making $830,000 worth of cuts in this year's budget, Farner said the program is a key in preventing more cuts.

"Every dollar saved is a dollar we do not have to cut, so that helps us maintain the integrity of our educational program," he said. "So I would say that the program is absolutely necessary."

A national trend
Energy Education was founded by a former school board member who wanted to save his district money. His approach, now the key fundamentals of his company, drew state and national attention.

Now, Energy Education serves about 850 clients nationwide and has helped them save more than $1.3 billion, said Director of Public Relations Jan Noel-Smith.

"Energy is generally the second-largest line item in a district's budget," Noel-Smith said. "As utility costs rise, districts recognize that a concerted, educated effort must be made."

By the numbers
Greenfield saved more than $228,000 in its first year with Energy Education. 
The environmental equivalent would be…

926 Tons of carbon monoxide removed from the atmosphere

173 Cars removed from the road

358 Acres of trees planted