$2 million slashed from school district utility bills
By Miguel Morales miguel@theacorn.com

With gas prices creeping toward $4 a gallon and energy-saving ideas on the minds of people throughout the country, the Simi Valley Unified School District has come up with ways to reduce its economic impact not only on the planet but on taxpayers' wallets as well.

SVUSD's energy management program has saved the district more than $2 million in the past two years, according to program head Robert Thompson, by reducing the schools' electricity, water and natural gas bills a reported $75,000 a month.

In a May 29 presentation to the school board, Thompson spoke about the importance of the program.

"A dollar not spent on utilities is a dollar saved for the classroom," Thompson stated.

The energy manager pointed out that by switching from old incandescent light bulbs to newer, energy-saving fluorescent lamp bulbs, the district has been able to cut its electricity use by up to 80 percent a month. Thompson also said that fixing leaks and preventing overwatering has reduced water usage by 43 percent at some schools.

Many of the energy-saving methods being employed at Simi schools, like turning off lights when a room is empty and unplugging equipment when it's not in use, are things everyone can do, Thompson said.

"Doing some of the smallest things can make a huge difference and can save us a lot of money," Thompson said.

For Denise Vale, principal of Arroyo Elementary School, it's all about making teachers and staff conscious of their energy use habits.

And there's a fine line between being wasteful and being unsafe that has to remain uncrossed, she said.

"None of the classes will sacrifice safety for efficiency," Vale said. "We know what we were using before and how much less we can use now while still being productive throughout the day."

All 32 schools in Simi are involved in the process, Thompson said, and the payoff has been significant. Arroyo has used 36 percent less electricity a month compared to last year and is now one of the top energy-saving schools in Simi, he said.

Other schools, such as Valley View Middle School and Mountain View Elementary, are saving between 25 and 30 percent on their monthly energy bills.

Simi high schools have reduced their electricity usage by 165,000 kilowatt hours per month. At an average of 19 cents per kilowatt, that's a total savings of $31,350 a month that can be put right back into the classroom, Thompson said.

The district has used 8 million fewer kilowatts since the energy conservation program began nearly 2½ years ago.

"We can congratulate ourselves on that," Thompson said, "because it truly goes into improving our lives and our environment."