Editorial — Gauging efficiency: Massena Central School District to take part in energy study

The study, which will take up to six months to complete, will examine ways to make the district’s facilities more energy efficient as well as how to implement bus electrification. This work would be conducted by IBI Group, the district’s architectural firm.

“What we’re doing is really bringing an opportunity to the district through the Clean Green Schools Initiative that some of you may have heard about. It’s going through New York state right now through a NYSERDA grant,” Edward Bernhauer, an architect with the IBI Group, told members of the Massena Central School District Board of Education at a recent meeting, according to a story published Saturday by the Watertown Daily Times. “What this grant allows for is to really address some studies and look at basically energy efficiency and also, under that larger energy efficiency and energy umbrella, we also look at bus electrification.”

The study would involve a comprehensive examination of each school.

“At the district level, the study would look at a solar photovoltaic system that uses materials and devices to convert sunlight into electrical energy. It would provide potential locations and calculate the potential power output at each location,” the article reported. “Among the studies at the high school would be lighting upgrades for all fluorescent or high intensity discharge fixtures; kitchen changes from steam to electrical for cooking kettles as part of decarbonization efforts; conversion of domestic hot water heaters from gas to electric; conversion of the pool heater from gas to electric or with a heat exchanger that would be heated from gas boilers; conversion of the heating and cooling system from gas to energy-efficient heating and cooling in existing areas needing air conditioning; and replacing natural gas heating, ventilation and air conditioning units with units that include electrical reheats.”

State law requires New York’s bus fleet to become zero-emission by 2035. So this study “would look at a bus pre-heater energy control system that reduces energy with a temperature and use-based heating control; and the replacement of gas unit heaters with electrical in the facility,” according to the story. “The scope of the study would include gathering data on bus route characteristics and energy usage, evaluating charging infrastructure, investigating existing facility electrical capacity, developing a fleet transition procurement plan, and estimating capital and operating costs, among others.”

More than two years ago, Gov. Kathleen C. Hochul announced that $59 million would be allocated to the Clean Green Schools Initiative. The program “aims to advance clean energy and energy efficiency solutions that will improve indoor air quality and reduce emissions for more than 500 public and private Pre-K-12 schools in disadvantaged communities across the state,” a news release issued Sept. 23, 2021, reported.

The P-12 Clean Green Schools Initiative was implemented in conjunction with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act passed in 2019. The law’s goal is to see a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 85% by 2050.

Once Massena Central School District receives the study’s results, the challenge will be to carry out the recommended projects. Seeing how this is being done to comply with New York’s ambitious climate change plans, hopefully Albany will provide financial assistance for school districts to upgrade their facilities.

So what affect this will have on local taxpayers is not yet known. But it’s good that the district will be allowed to participate in this initiative to determine what improvements can be made.