Now here is some good news from the marion County School Board. An energy program in place for the past 5 years has saved taxpayers approximately $10 Million in energy costs with a steady increaase year over year since the programs inception. At the current rate of savings the County hopes to reach a mark of almost $3 million in savings next year in comparison to the years prior to the savings plan was implemented. These are incredible statistics and a great way for the County to make improvements to existing services without taxing residents to increase revenues and offset increasing costs.
What seems strange to me is that there was actually an average of $2 million to be saved in each of these years. it just seems like shutting down the lights and unused computers should have been common policy even as far back as a decade ago and we should not be seeing such a dramatic savings but sadly it appears there was a culture of “Who cares if the lights are on?” in the school system where theoretically speaking they should be teaching our children good habits like shutting of unused lights and energy conservation.
Management program has saved schools on energy | Ocala.com
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A School District energy management program implemented in 2006 has paid off in a big way — $10 million in savings in less than five years.
And now the School District’s two-man energy management team has enacted a plan to save even more taxpayer money.
The team installed a new computer program at the district technology headquarters that will shut off all idle computers at 51 schools every evening. If someone is using a computer at that time, a prompt will ask if he or she wishes to keep working.
Colin Barrett, who along with James Newkirk make up the energy management team, said on a good day that only 80 percent of the computers are turned off at district schools. The new program will help make sure the remaining 20 percent are also turned off.
November 21, 2010
Ocala News