Rockingham County Schools Energy Conservation Program Earns Energy Excellence Recognition

The district’s energy-efficient adapting has achieved significant savings — and good conservation habits have earned Rockingham County Schools national recognition from Dallas, Texas-based Cenergistic, a leading firm of energy experts that has consulted with RCS for years to help trim its energy budget by millions.

Indeed, the district saved over $6 million dollars in 90 months with an innovative organizational behavior-based energy conservation and management program with Cenergistic.

“Reaching this energy savings mark is a significant milestone,” said Dr. William S. Spears, CEO and founder of Cenergistic in a recent news release.

“Rockingham County Schools has achieved success by consistently implementing a comprehensive approach to energy conservation and maintaining productive efforts at all levels of the organization,” he said.

“Dr. Rodney Shotwell and board, with other administration, faculty and staff members are to be commended for clearly fulfilling their commitment to being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and the environment.”

The program delivers financial savings, as well as an environmental benefit from a reduced carbon footprint, Cenergistic experts said in the release.

Energy not used prevents the emission of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

According to EPA/EGrid figures, since the program began, Rockingham County Schools has prevented carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to 105,769,335 miles not driven, or 695,893 pine trees grown for 10 years.

“We’re reaping the benefits of this program with more comfort and better buildings. The engineering and building operations expertise Cenergistic provides is helping us redirect funds we would have paid for energy to important programs,” said Assistant Superintendent of Logistics and Operations for Rockingham County Schools Sonja Parks.

RCS’s comprehensive behavior-based energy conservation program addresses energy use throughout the district. Gene Kelley of RCS works closely with district personnel as well as Cenergistic engineers and experts to continually optimize systems and schedules.

They monitor energy use with advanced technology and shape organizational behavior through education — affecting how each person in the organization understands, uses and saves energy for years to come, the release said.

The outcome is healthier, more efficient buildings using less energy — and lower related costs, a Cenergistic spokesman said in the release.

Cenergistic client energy conservation programs have saved more than $6 billion for educational, governmental and ministerial organizations since 1986. This customized energy conservation management approach provides clients more control over energy use with no upfront costs, no new equipment, and no equipment retrofits.