Dive Summary:
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, N.J. has won its 2012 Energy Star Battle of the Buildings by cutting its energy use by 52.1% in one year, the most of any building in the competition.
- Over 3,000 buildings took part in the nationwide competition, slashing energy bills by over $50 million, saving more than 3 billion kBtus of energy and reducing greenhouse emissions by the equivalent of over 43,000 homes-worth of electricity consumption.
From the article:
"... Demarest Elementary School identified and addressed a number of overlooked mechanical issues, including replacing a heat timer associated with the control system which allowed it to run on a more energy efficient schedule. In addition to this mechanical fix, the head custodian adjusted boiler operations based on outside temperature and changes in weather, and adjusted the hall lighting schedule so that lights were dimmed in the early morning and after students were dismissed. The staff also took control of energy management in their immediate areas by turning off and unplugging electronic devices. ..."
