Butler County Schools Allocates Stimulus Funds to Modernize Infrastructure and Improve Occupant Health
• Butler County Schools to leverage Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) dollars for major renovation improvements, eliminating a backlog of deferred maintenance around complex HVAC system
• The district will reduce energy and operation costs by 16% over the next twenty years
Butler County Schools in partnership with Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and sustainability, today announced plans to leverage Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for major infrastructure improvements. The project is expected to eliminate a backlog of deferred maintenance and produce a total savings of 16% in energy and operational costs, as well as allow Butler County Schools to complete upgrades to its six-school district.
The district will prioritize Greenville High School, where a complex, end-of-lifecycle HVAC system will require a system redesign and component replacement to be more efficient and better fit the space. Greenville High School’s twenty-five-year-old system was original to the building and ongoing maintenance, repairs and replacements had become too difficult and costly, driving up the deferred maintenance backlog. The system will reach into areas it previous didn’t, such as the gym. In addition, it was important to update the entire system at one time to maintain building integrity. The district selected Schneider Electric to do the redesign and replacement, as they needed a partner who could tackle the entire system and do so without disruption to the occupants.
“The uniqueness of the system is what compounded the challenges to maintain it, where the components were aging out of useful lifecycle, hard to physically access, and lacked automation or control system,” said Kyle Keith, Market Team Leader for Schneider Electric. “With the upgrades, the district can streamline their operations and reduce the time and energy invested into their infrastructure. We’re thrilled to assist Butler County Schools with their vision of modernized facilities, where students will be able to focus on their learning in comfortable environments. All component replacements will be done with minimal disruption to students, faculty and staff.”
Additional district-wide renovations beyond major HVAC system upgrades include:
- Improvements to lighting via energy-efficient LEDs
- Exterior lighting installments to boost safety
- Sensory lighting installments in enhance special needs classrooms
- Fixture and system upgrades to conserve water
- Building automation system installation to streamline campus operations
“The vision of the Butler County Schools is to be a learning community where students are empowered to envision and create individual pathways to success,” said Butler County District Superintendent Joseph Eiland. “These upgrades made possible by stimulus funds will have a long-lasting, positive impact on the health and well-being of our students and faculty and provide an optimal environment for learning.”
Construction is underway and expected to be completed by the Fall of 2023.
Schneider Electric has successfully implemented 900 ESPC projects across the country, saving partners more than $3 billion, and has captured over $150M in ESSER funding for clients. Schneider Electric has been named the #1 ESCO by Guidehouse Insights and was ranked the #1 Most Sustainable Company in 2021 by Corporate Knights.