District to save approximately $101,000 annually; No impact to taxpayers

GREENE – Seeking to create higher-quality and more efficient buildings for students, faculty and staff, the Greene Central School District will perform a series of district-wide energy improvements.

The district has agreed to enter into an Energy Performance Contract that will not only improve the overall operation of the district’s facilities, but also reduce the carbon footprint of its buildings and generate substantial cost savings that will pay for the upgrades over the life of the project. The district will perform these upgrades with no direct impact to the district’s taxpayers.

“Improving the manner in which our buildings operate is central to our commitment to providing the best possible educational environment for our students,” said Timothy Calice, Superintendent of Schools. “By performing these upgrades, we are investing in our ability to serve our students’ needs, meet parents’ expectations, and realize important environmental benefits, all while being mindful stewards of our responsibility to the district’s taxpayers.”

The Energy Performance Contract will include lighting, building HVAC systems and controls, and upgrades to the building envelope, including insulation and weatherization, at each of our four school buildings and the bus garage. As part of the agreement, the cost savings, which will be monitored by the New York State Education Department, are guaranteed. It is anticipated that the district will realize approximately $101,000 in annual cost savings over the life of the project, helping the district generate a positive cash flow each year.

The energy upgrades will be performed by the Syracuse office of the John W. Danforth Company, one of the leading mechanical contractors in the northeast.

The work under the Energy Performance Contract will be completed outside of the district’s capital improvement project, which was approved by voters late last year. Doing so will allow the district to reallocate a portion of the capital project budget to address priority capital needs, such as additional security upgrades, new kitchens in both of the elementary schools, and a cafeteria in the intermediate school.

“We all know from our own homes how efficient and cost-effective updated systems, appliances, and equipment can be. These energy upgrades will pay for themselves through the substantial cost savings we will realize as a result of the work,” Superintendent Calice said. “With operational efficiencies being addressed through the Energy Performance Contract, we can ensure that we are making the best use of our capital project budget to deliver the highest quality physical and programming solutions in our buildings.”

While a referendum vote is not required for the district to perform the energy upgrades, Superintendent Calice said the district will add a proposition to the budget vote this spring. The purpose of the vote will be to ask district residents if they would like to have New York State provide an additional ten-percent aid toward the cost of the self-funded energy upgrades.

“Beyond the substantial cost savings associated with the upgrades, our district has the opportunity to gain additional state aid by demonstrating the community’s support,” he said. “With the dual benefit of creating a smart, sustainable district without a direct impact to taxpayers, we see this project as a tremendous opportunity for the district and our school community.”