Appleton schools excel in energy efficiency

From an article by Kathy Walsh Nufer in the Appleton Post Crescent:

APPLETON — The Appleton Area School District has received an Energy Star Rating from the federal government for high energy performance in 23 of its 26 school buildings.

And that, school officials say, translates into money saved.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rating system helps assess how efficiently buildings use energy when compared to similar buildings nationwide.

A rating of 50 on the 1-100 scale indicates average energy performance, while a rating of 75 or better indicates top performance.

Bob Zuehlsdorf, director of facilities and operations, told Board of Education members last week that the strong rating is "huge" for Appleton. "That's the gold standard from the federal standpoint."

Zuehlsdorf noted that the three school buildings that did not get the top rating "just missed" the 75 mark needed. Badger Elementary School had a 74, and Wilson Middle School and the Morgan Building each received a 73.

Energy Star plaques will be posted in the schools soon.

Appleton's public school buildings take up the equivalent of 2,300 houses in space, and the district has made a concerted effort to cut back on energy usage in the last few years.

That has paid off, said Zuehlsdorf. Even though electric, gas and water rates continue to rise, expenses are staying about the same or going down. Energy costs are projected to run $269,000, or 8.8 percent under budget this year.