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Norristown Area School District
The Norristown Area School District has a total enrollment of 6,333 students. The school district's facilities include two high schools, three middle schools, seven elementary schools, an administrative service center and a stadium. Although the primary goal of the district's energy management program is to reduce operating costs, it also seeks to improve indoor air quality, establish building comfort levels, operate efficient lighting systems and reduce dependency on hazardous chemicals and equipment. During the program's 19 years of operation, the district has reduced total electric use by 65.9 million kWh (40 percent) for a savings of $7.3 million. Fuel oil use was reduced by 6.9 million gallons (56 percent) for a savings of $4.5 million. These reductions imply 52,700 tons of carbon dioxide, 595 tons of sulfur dioxide and 188 tons of nitrogen oxide less impact on the atmosphere (equivalent to 6 million less gallons of gasoline burned). In addition to the energy savings achieved, a preventive maintenance program was spawned out of the district's energy management program. The pursuit of both efforts reduced maintenance, unscheduled down-time, wear and tear on operating equipment and established less dependency on service contracts. The district's image and professional relationships have also been enhanced via information provided through Pennsylvania School Boards Association, Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials and Delaware Valley Association of School Business Officials at regular meetings, workshops, over the phone, building tours and through the many requests for copies of the Norristown Area School District annual energy report. Norristown Area School District has received significant recognition for its energy management initiatives. In 1993, the district won the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air-conditioning Engineers' first place national award for its unique design of an ice storage air-conditioning system. The district shares its energy management success and supporting data with the public through an annual energy report and the local media. In 1996, it received an Award of Achievement from the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials for publication of its outstanding 1994-95 Annual Energy Report. In 1997, it achieved 1997 Honor Society status in the US EPA's Green Lights Program. It was also among the first in Pennsylvania to exercise the option of Pennsylvania Act 29, to implement energy efficient projects with a payback of 10 years or less.
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Norristown Area
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