Walton County School District Brightens Learning Spaces and Reduce Operational Expenses
Walton County School District, located in DeFuniak Springs, FL, serves about 10,000 students across 17 campuses. The district is known for fiscal responsibility, and had already successfully reduced energy costs through district-wide behavior change programs. District leaders wanted to build on that success. They chose Schneider Electric to deliver a phased, self-funded energy savings performance contract designed to improve learning environments and campus safety while capturing additional utility savings.
"Schneider Electric's project development process was structured and collaborative. Their team worked closely with our operations and leadership staff to refine project scope, align funding, and prioritize improvements. During construction, communication was proactive and consistent, minimizing disruption while maintaining accountability and schedule integrity." — Jill Smith, Director of Facilities and Maintenance, Walton County School District
Phase 1 covered nine facilities and focused on two areas: lighting upgrades and electrical infrastructure upgrades. Construction ran from November 2025 to April 2026, during which Schneider Electric worked closely with the district to establish safety protocols and ensure there were no learning disruptions. The most disruptive work was scheduled when students were off campus. Major electrical work was completed over holiday breaks, and Schneider Electric's careful planning allowed for new gym lighting to be completed in time for the district's annual Christmas basketball tournament.
Phase 1 is guaranteed to cut utility usage by 13.5%, saving the district more than $3.75 million over the next 20 years. Students and staff are already seeing the difference: classrooms and hallways are brighter, outdoor areas are safer, and the electrical systems are more reliable. Phase 2 is now in design and is slated to implement more district-wide improvements.
Watch the video below to see the before-and-after results: