ABM (NYSE:ABM), a leading provider of facility solutions, has initiated an Energy Performance Contracting program for Aiken County Public Schools in Aiken County, South Carolina. ABM's customized solution is projected to save Aiken County Public Schools more than $70 million in energy and operating costs over a 20-year period. Revenue from savings will address aging infrastructure needs, while also providing budget relief.
Energy and operations savings will be achieved by implementing lighting, HVAC and control upgrades, as well as water conservation throughout the school system’s 40 plus facilities, and installation of a solar field at six campuses. The upgrades are projected to save Aiken County Public Schools more than $2.2 million in energy and operating costs in the first year alone. Savings will climb during the life of the 20-year program, resulting in a projected totals savings of $70 million.
“Aiken County Public Schools is a large school system faced with a substantial amount of infrastructure needs, which ABM will help them address, while providing budget relief,” said Mark Newsome, President of ABM Technical Solutions. “By implementing ABM’s Energy Performance Contracting Program, Aiken County Public Schools will be able to focus on providing its students with a quality education in a safe, comfortable and reliable learning environment.”
Aiken County Public School system officials selected ABM to develop a customized solution to take a long-term, comprehensive approach to modernize and extend the lifetime of the school system’s facilities, while decreasing energy and operations expenses and improving the learning environment for its students and faculty. The school system is looking forward to more than $42 million in facility improvements, without upfront costs.
The program also includes sealing building envelopes to control airflow and humidity levels, transformer upgrades, and the installation of water conservation measures at several facilities.
Total Comfort Solutions, a local Linc Service contractor, will work with ABM to provide preventive maintenance and mechanical services for the school system’s HVAC system. Total Comfort Solutions is part of ABM Franchising Group’s Linc Service franchise network.
Solar fields will be installed at the campuses of Byrd, Gloverville and Redcliffe Elementary Schools, Jackson STEM Middle School, and Leavelle McCampbell Middle School, and the shared campus of Cyril B. Busbee Elementary and A.L. Corbett Middle Schools. The solar fields will be enclosed spaces near the schools and the electricity generated will be used to offset the school district’s current electrical load. Remaining electricity produced from the solar array will be sold to the local energy provider. The solar fields are expected to generate more than $10.9 million in savings over 20 years.
ABM's Energy Performance Contracting Program will enable the school system to make facility upgrades without impacting its capital budget. The program is designed as a financial solution to meet clients' technical facility needs and sustainability goals. The goal is to drive costs out of a client's operating budget, allowing savings to be reallocated to fund mission critical facility needs. Click here for a video on how ABM is providing facility and financial solutions to school districts without upfront costs or tax increases.
“The customized program that is being provided by ABM will have a tremendous impact on the school system, its facilities and, most importantly, our students,” said Superintendent Sean Alford. “This solution delivers essential infrastructure updates for our school system and a significant amount of savings that we will utilize to further educational opportunities for our students.”
Highlights of the project estimated to conclude in 2021 include:
- Retrofitting lighting systems to energy-efficient LED lighting, and replacing or retrofitting HVAC units, which will be controlled by state-of-the-art HVAC control systems to maximize energy and operational efficiency
- Installing building automation controls, providing maintenance officials to remotely monitor and quickly address maintenance needs
- Installing solar fields at Byrd, Gloverville and Redcliffe Elementary Schools, Jackson STEM Middle School, Leavelle McCampbell Middle School, and the campus of Cyril B. Busbee Elementary and A.L. Corbett Middle Schools
- Upgrading transformers and installing water conservation measures at several facilities
- Improving ventilation and outside air intake systems at several facilities by sealing building envelopes to increase occupant comfort, control humidity and drive energy savings
