Long Island districts find ways to save energy, dollars

On Board Online •Director's Dialogue • December 22, 2008

By Fred Langstaff
Area 12 Director

Looking for examples of innovative, energy-saving school construction projects? Many are on Long Island.

The Hampton Bays Middle School is the first new, fully constructed school in the state to be considered for full Leader-ship in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification, a national recognition in environmental efficiency and health.

The Hampton Bays school district is pursuing a Silver Certification for the school. If successful, the school will share that prestigious designation with the Clinton Presidential Library and several American embassies around the world.

Meanwhile, renovations and additions for the East Hampton High School represent the first projects submitted to the State Education Department using new guidelines called NY-CHPS (New York Collaborative for High Performance Schools). District plans call for the reduction of heat “islands,” providing day lighting in classrooms via a high performance glass curtain wall system, acoustical performance, thermal controls, recycling of demolition and construction debris, and more.

According to Sachem Superintendent Charles J. Murphy, his district has entered into an energy efficiency contract with Johnson Controls that is the largest of its kind on Long Island. It includes 27 energy conservation measures such as a wind turbine at Sachem High School East, district-wide lighting retrofitting of more than 27,000 fixtures, wireless clocks and automatic pool covers at both high schools.

“This will be completed with no cost to taxpayers,” said Dr. Murphy. “As our budget line increases from debt service to pay for the project, another is reduced – utilities. Equally important, this project will generate $11,165,508 in cash flow over 18 years as the district gains 66 percent aid on energy projects.”