Energy Star status turns Mattawan schools a brighter shade of green
Kalamazoo Gazette
Monday, February 04, 2008
BY BEN HOGER
MATTAWAN — The Mattawan Consolidated School district has earned Energy Star status for its entire district for 2007.
The district is four buildings of only 22 in Michigan and 170 in the U.S. to earn the status in 2007. The other 18 Michigan buildings are in the Detroit area.
Tim Roach, district energy manager, had to submit numbers on every aspect of the four buildings to be considered for the status.
“This is huge,” Roach said. “I would have to say that folks who are into the green (movement) would move into our district just because of this factor.”
According to Roach, the money saved in 2007 by the school district was equivalent to taking away emissions of 404 vehicles for the year.
“The least-efficient schools use three times more energy than the top performers,” Roach said. “The top schools cost 40 cents less per square foot than the average performers.”
The district hired Energy Education, Inc. three years ago to help it conserve energy.
“They said if we don't help you save energy, you don't pay us,” Roach said. “We will have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars over 10 years. We can’t help the cost (of energy) going up, but we can work on cutting our energy (use).”
The Energy Star status has to be renewed each year. Roach said he’s looked on www.energystar.gov and not many buildings that have earned Energy Star status have kept it up. But he doesn't plan for Mattawan to be one of those.
“I've given a pledge to our superintendent and board to apply every year and keep this up,” Roach said. “This says we’re not just talking the talk, we're walking the walk with the green thing.”
Since 2000, only 35 school buildings in Michigan and 835 in the United States have earned the Energy Star title.
Roach, a former Mattawan teacher, has been working with another ex-Mattawan teacher, Bill Kesteloot, in this effort. Mattawan Superintendent Jim Weeldreyer said the two make a perfect pair.
“Tim is a cheerleader and Bill is a details person, so they made a perfect pair. They’ve done a great job,” Weeldreyer said.