The district was recognized by Puget Sound Energy (PSE) with grants for the new Odle Middle School and Enatai Elementary buildings meeting high energy efficiency markers.
PSE supports schools in the Puget Sound Area with incentives and programs that help them operate in ways that save money and energy. In 2015 the district’s Facilities and Capital Construction department applied for PSE incentives for energy-efficiency design and construction at Enatai Elementary School and Odle Middle School. Both school projects exceeded local energy code efficiency requirements and standard practices that made them eligible for conservation grants.
Enatai Elementary was awarded an eligible grant total of $135,013 and Odle Middle School was awarded an eligible grant total of $234,948.
The grant dollars will be used for into small works energy savings projects on existing district facilities. An example of this would be an elementary school LED lighting retrofit that would result in savings of 100,000 KiloWatt Hours per year. The district goal continues to be to save general fund dollars by lowering district utility bills through conservation programs and upgrades.
“Opening new schools of this caliber that are energy efficient and designed to maintain a level of energy conservation is a significant achievement,” said Jeff Tweeten, the district’s HVAC/Utilities Control Specialist. “The measure of benefits is all about the children and putting dollars back to support the classroom. The PSE grant incentives support the Bellevue School district mission, vision and achievements.”
The district received the same grant in 2016 for the Transportation center, with an eligible grant total of $42,161.
Applications have also been submitted to PSE whole building incentives for energy efficiency design and construction for Sammamish High School, Tillicum Middle School and Bennett Elementary. Twenty-five district facilities are enrolled in the PSE resource conservation program, and a total of 20 BSD facilities have been awarded the EPA’s Energy Star award.