Following the success of a lighting upgrade in all the schools of the South Brunswick School
District, NORESCO developed and implemented additional energy conservation measures -
valued at nearly $1 million - for two elementary schools. The energy and operational savings
as well as utility incentive payments accruing over a 15-year Energy Savings Performance
Contract (ESPC) will pay for the capital improvements at the Brunswick Acres and the
Cambridge elementary schools.
Technical Overviw
Project Type: After completing an investment grade audit, NORESCO recommended and implemented a
conversion from electric resistance heating to a gas-fired hydronic system in each school.
NORESCO was responsible for project and construction management, training maintenance
staff on the new system's operation, and financing.
Facility Description: Two public elementary schools
Contract Term: 15-Year Energy Savings Performance Contract
Financing: A 10-year tax-exempt municipal lease arranged by NORESCO. An incentive program offered for
15 years by the local utility. Effectively, the district will be selling its conserved energy to the
utility to help pay for the cost of the new equipment.
Installation Period: Spring 1999 - Fall 1999
Project Summary
NORESCO implemented energy conservation measures for both elementary schools
that included:
Electric Heat Conversion
Converting the systems from electric to hydronic and installing gas-fired boilers and circulator
pumps, as well as hot water distribution piping and finned-tube radiation with self-contained
thermostatic controls. NORESCO also installed new unit ventilators with hot water coils, replaced
heating/cooling unit ventilators where specified, and retrofitted air handling units.
Boiler Plant
Constructing a new boiler plant in the Brunswick Acres School and renovating an existing storage
area in the Cambridge School to house the new boilers.
Engineering and Approvals
Providing all engineering and securing necessary state and local approvals.
Support Services
Training maintenance staff to operate the new equipment and providing first-year emergency service.
Computerized Controls
Preparing and managing the procurement of additional building controls through a public bid.
Though not integral to the project, the controls provide convenient building system monitoring
through computerized automation.
Measurement and Verification
NORESCO functions as the South Brunswick School District's project sponsor for participation in
the local utility's Standard Offer incentive program. This program provides subsidy payments
for measured kilowatt-hour savings over the contract period. NORESCO manages the measure-ment
and verification protocols required by the utility.
Customer Comments
"The Brunswick and Cambridge schools took on new high-efficiency lives and increased com-fort
following NORESCO's replacement of the outdated electric heating systems. The work was
done with great care so there was little interruption of the normal school day."
- District Director of Buildings and Grounds John Longo
NORESCO Comments
"Timing was critical in putting together South Brunswick's Energy Savings Performance Contract
and submitting it to the utility by their deadline for the Standard Offer. We had less than three
months to put a proposal together and secure all district approvals - including the school
board's - in order to capture almost $400,000 in subsidy payments that would cease at the end
of the year. Because NORESCO had established an excellent record of success with our previous
lighting ESPC, it was pretty much clear sailing through all the processes."
- Randy Clark, NORESCO
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