SVUSD leads the pack in cutting energy bill costs
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

The "energy czar"- that's what board members of Simi Valley Unified School District affectionately call Dr. Robert Thompson.

Well, the energy czar is saving the school district plenty of money.

The district has cut its electric, gas and water bills an estimated $2.92 million in the three and a half years since Thompson, SVUSD's energy manager, introduced a savings plan. That translates to a savings of about $71,000 a month.

Many of the changes are as simple as turning off a light switch when leaving a room or turning the thermostat up 2 degrees in the warmer months.

"(Thompson's) staff has done an excellent job of reminding other employees within the district to turn off light switches," said school board member Eric Lundstrom.

Reiterating Thompson's message, Lundstrom added: "The smallest steps you take go a long way to saving money. And that money ends up going back into the classroom."

Thompson projects the school district will save more than $9.8 million by November 2014 using his plan.

School board member Jeanne Davis thought some of the energy-saving measures go too far.

Most sites undergoing construction during the hot summer months have only one classroom per campus that's airconditioned. That classroom serves as a break room for construction workers, but Davis said it wasn't enough.

"I'm concerned about our custodial staff that works with heavy machinery. I know it's not cost-effective to air-condition classrooms where work is being done, but we have to treat people like people," Davis said. "Having only one room on every campus to cool off . . . is not right."

Thompson said it was difficult to cool off particular rooms, since the air conditioning system is often hooked up to multiple classrooms or even entire buildings. That means empty classrooms would be air conditioned, wasting energy.

Associate superintendent of business and facilities Lowell Schultze said Simi Valley Unified was named the best school district in the United States for cost avoidance. Almost every district in the county is following Simi Valley's lead, he added.

Arroyo Elementary School has been the most effective in cutting its electrical bill, with savings of 36 percent in the past 42 months. Mountain View, Atherwood and Berylwood elementary schools follow, with Valley View Middle School not far behind.

Atherwood Elementary leads the way in natural gas savings, cutting costs by 51 percent.

The school district has saved $773,000 on water in the past 42 months, with seven schools slashing water expenses by more than 40 percent.

Over spring break Simi Valley Unified saved $133,700 on all bills.

"Things are truly shut down when they should be shut down," Thompson said. "Particularly in a year that looks financially bleak, we could use any penny, nickel or dime and not send that money outside our district."