In the summer of 2023, GLE’s energy advisor for Energy Wise, noticed ongoing construction at Tri-County High School and recognized an opportunity to help the school district save money.
The construction taking place was a significant project funded by a $37 million bond approved by voters in August 2019. The project included a new high school cafetorium and a K-5 elementary building.
The cafetorium is used as a cafeteria during the day and is converted into an acoustical theater that seats about 700 people for concerts, performances, and other community events. The new elementary school was built to put all Kindergarten-12th grade students in a central location and on one campus, increasing efficiency while improving safety and traffic flow.
Once the construction was complete, a meeting between our energy advisor and Thomas Phinney, the school’s director of operations and facilities, was scheduled to discuss the many benefits of the Energy Wise program, highlighting the potential for rebates on energy-saving measures. Encouraged by our Energy Wise team’s knowledge and assurance that the district qualified for rebates, Phinney and his team took the next steps.
Installing new LED lighting in the new high school cafetorium and throughout the new elementary school earned the schools a generous rebate of $19,553.22 through the Energy Wise program.
Phinney said, “It’s a great program, especially for schools – we need every dime we can get.”
Along with the financial savings, the energy savings will have a significant environmental impact, preventing 46.3 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, equivalent to taking 25.7 tons of coal out of the equation or offsetting emissions by the CO2 sequestered by 54 acres of forest.
“The experience was seamless,” stated Phinney, “Your energy advisor is a fantastic guy to work with, and your Energy Programs Manager, Thomas Mann, is very knowledgeable.”
Tri-County Area Schools’ success story is a shining example of how energy-efficient measures can deliver long-term savings, reduce environmental impact, and build a more sustainable future—one school at a time.
Tri-County Area Schools earned a generous rebate through Energy Wise.
But it's not just about the financial impact...
Tri-County Area Schools will save 66,261 kWh of energy. An energy savings equivalent to:
- 46.3 Metric Tons of CO2.
- 25.7 Tons of coal not burned.
- CO2 sequestered by 54 acres of forest.