HOUSTON — Nestled north of Houston, the New Waverly Independent School District is trailblazing the use of energy in rural districts with an Energy Savings Performance Agreement and Infrastructure Redevelopment Program.
New Waverly ISD serves a total of 901 students and strives to make their students’ daily learning experience productive and enjoyable. In order to fulfill their mission, the district recently entered into an Energy Performance Contract developed and offered by major mechanical the Way Cos. Way is one of the largest mechanical design-build and energy service contractors in Texas. The company has over 90 years of experience with offices across the Lone Star State.
Way’s program will replace 307 tons of cooling equipment with associated automated system controls, perform a complete district-wide lighting upgrade and retrofit and provide energy management planning services. The project also includes the upgrade and improvement of cafeteria refrigeration systems, campus phone/bell systems, fire alarm systems, security cameras and installation of Raptor Technology ID Scanning systems for school buildings.
Principal Kris Drane was thrilled Way was able to improve their campuses and upgrade protection.
“The added security coverage will give us the peace of mind that our students are safe every day,” Drane said.
The Energy Savings Performance Agreement and Infrastructure Redevelopment Program was completely self-funded with no up-front cash necessary. Moreover, New Waverly’s financial burden was reduced thanks to the $2 million in Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) from the federal government. QZAB’s are federally funded loans for schools and districts seeking to renovate or improve their facilities. The QZAB funds also provided the district with an opportunity to acquire new school buses, repave parking lots, refinish gym bleachers and repair gym floors.
Furthermore, Way Cos. assisted the district in obtaining a $27,800 incentive from the district’s utility company. The facilities are brighter, more comfortable and have the added benefit of conserving and utilizing energy more efficiently. New Waverly is projected to save $625,000 in energy and $1.9 million in maintenance and repair costs over the course of the program. The total savings for New Waverly ISD are set to exceed $2.5 million in the next 15 years.