Honeywell Powers Up Schools Nationwide
MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. — As schools continue to seek improved maintenance programs and renovate outdated facilities, several districts and colleges are turning to Honeywell International, a provider of services designed to increase operational efficiency and profitability.
A $9.7 million conservation program is under way at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania that is expected to lower the school’s energy spending by $1.3 million per year and decrease annual carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 28.6 million pounds.
The school has contracted with Honeywell to develop energy-efficient upgrades for more than 40 buildings on the 585-acre campus. Edinboro, located in western Pennsylvania , plans to finance the program with funds generated from the expected energy savings.
The program includes repairing or replacing existing HVAC units and the addition of a control system to centralize and optimize energy management across the campus.
Honeywell has received all the necessary permits and construction is approximately 35 percent complete, with all the lighting and water conservation measures installed. The project includes lighting fixture retrofits, the replacement of outdated lamps and ballasts, the installation of occupancy sensors, three new chillers and two boilers, and the replacement of faucets, toilets and other plumbing devices.
The company will also install a 1-megawatt emergency generator to run essential systems during power outages. The project is slated for completion in May 2008.
In addition, Honeywell has partially completed a performance contract with the Pleasanton Unified School District in California to reduce waste output by 50 percent during the next few years.
The project began in January 2007 and includes the installation of solar panels — owned and maintained by Honeywell — on seven district buildings. The company plans to sell the electricity the system produces to the district at a lower cost than the K-12 district’s current utility rate.
Installation is complete at all seven sites, but only two of the seven systems are currently operational. The remaining five sites are awaiting approval from the Division of the State Architect, which provides design and construction oversight for K-12 schools in California , before putting the systems online.
The district hopes to save an estimated $2.5 million in energy costs during the 20-year contract with Honeywell, as the solar installation is expected to supply 20 percent of the district’s electricity. Upon completion of the contract, the district can opt to purchase the solar panels or continue to purchase electricity from the company.
In the Midwest, Honeywell recently completed a $1.4 million energy savings and modernization project at Merrill Community Schools in Merrill, Mich., which is expected to reduce the district’s annual energy costs by approximately 30 percent.
Improvements to the five-facility district include the installation of occupancy sensor lighting, boiler tuneups, a new roof on the high school and a new waste oil heater in the maintenance building that is designed to save $2,000 per year.
Merrill Middle is also the first school in the state to install a corn-burning boiler. Powered by 7,200 bushels of corn each year, the unit is expected to save the district $10,000 in energy costs and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
However, the boiler is producing more heat than anticipated and Honeywell is fine-tuning the system and looking for ways to use the additional heat to generate further savings for the district, officials say.
In addition, the district upgraded its building management system to Honeywell Enterprise Buildings Integrator, which will integrate the elementary, middle and high schools and two administrative buildings, allowing the district to monitor and control components. Facility operators will be able to oversee the HVAC system and temperatures from a single workstation and automatically notify facility personnel of malfunctions.
The project was funded by an energy conservation improvement bond from the Michigan Municipal Bond Authority, which provides the initial capital for schools that decide to adopt performance contracts.