Summary

Since 1994, the team’s efforts have saved SDUSD nearly $131.8 million in avoided energy and utility costs. The Irrigation Management Control System (IMCS) at SDUSD encompasses 350 acres at 163 sites with 9,000 irrigation zones and 150,000 sprinklers. Energy Management Control System (EMCS) monitors and manages air conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems at 165 sites. Over 9,000 tons of paper, metal, wood, electronics, and beverage containers have been recycled since 2002.

Utility Management 
Projects

 

Since 1994 San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) has pursued innovative projects to save energy, reduce utility costs, and protect the environment. These initiatives have earned national accolades and saved the District millions of dollars in utility charges as well as conserved natural resources.

Project Highlights

• Since 1994, Utility Management efforts have saved SDUSD nearly $131.8 million in avoided energy and utility costs.

• EMCS troubleshoots mechanical and electrical problems affecting the site- often before interrupting classroom learning.

Click here for the Energy/Utility Management Fact Sheet.

Irrigation Management Control System (IMCS)

• Controls irrigation district-wide from one central location.
• Encompasses 350 acres at 163 sites with 9,000 irrigation zones and 150,000 sprinklers.
• Can detect leaks and automatically shut down portions of the system to prevent water waste.
• Saves approximately 97 million gallons of water and $400,000 annually.
• Using daily weather information and plant type evapotranspiration information, the IMCS continually adjusts sprinkler run time, leading to savings of $2 million in irrigation water costs over the last 5 years.

• SDUSD uses over 415 million gallons of water at a cost of just under $3,000,000.
• The District has replaced many toilets with low-flush toilets using only 1.6 gallons of water per flush (gpf) rather than the old 3.5 gpf.
• SDUSD saves 2 million gallons of water a year from 40 waterless urinals.
• Reclaimed water irrigates the landscape at Thurgood Marshall Middle School.

Energy Management Control System (EMCS)

• Saves the District approximately $1.5 million per year in electricity and natural gas costs enabling the district to have one of the lowest utility costs per student in the country.
• Currently monitors and/or manages air-conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems, gym lighting, walk-in refrigerator/freezer alarms, and outside lighting at 165 sites.
• Troubleshoots mechanical and electrical problems affecting the site- often before interrupting classroom learning.
• The San Diego Unified School District’s occupied set points are 75.5 degrees for cooling and 70 degrees for heating.
• Rooms that are not used frequently are run manually and others are run on a schedule so as to conserve energy.

• Over 9,000 tons of paper, metal, wood, electronics, and beverage containers have been recycled since 2002.                        
• Collectively, if the District recycles 300 tons of paper per month, it would be a savings of nearly $100,000 each year.
• Students involved in ASB, Student Council, AVID, and recycling clubs across the District help create awareness for the environment on their campus, while learning responsibility for the waste they generate.

Click here for the Recycling fact sheet.

ENERGY STAR for Buildings:

• Energy Star for Buildings is a Federal Environmental Protection Agency program to recognize superior energy efficiency.  SDUSD has 154 sites that earned the title “Energy Star Building” for the year 2005.
• SDUSD was awarded ENERGY STAR Leader by the EPA in 2005 and an Energy Star Partner of the Year in 2007.
• SDUSD has two sites that were awarded CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) certification for meeting and exceeding both the basic prerequisites and optional credits.  CHPS maintains “scorecards” or lists of criteria that address environmental design.

• Over 900 refrigerators were replaced throughout the District, saving $265,000 per year in energy costs.
• Over the past 10 years, the District has also decreased energy usage by 25% due to occupancy sensors, a global lighting control system, efficient lighting, cool curtains, dark campus policy, re-engineered HVAC systems, and more.