Warren County schools consider energy performance contracting

By Kim Walter

FRONT ROYAL -- After receiving a presentation on energy performance contracting at its Thursday evening work session, the Warren County School Board decided to take the first step toward fixing issues in the county's older elementary schools.

Charles Barksdale, from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, gave the presentation to School Board members, Superintendent Pamela McInnis, Assistant Superintendent for Administration Louis Justis, County Administrator Doug Stanley, and other school and county staff.

Barksdale said the goal of energy performance contracting is to help local governments and school systems find ways to improve their facilities without burdening agencies with additional debt.

The concept is simple enough -- there are sufficient energy savings within certain buildings that can pay for improvements like replacing boilers, installing new HVAC equipment, more efficient control systems, adding insulation and other replacements and upgrades.

The performance contracting would allow a school system, for example, to upgrade facilities in a "green" way, and pay for those upgrades by reallocating existing energy dollars.

Barksdale said that if Warren County schools chose to move forward, he would be there "shepherding" them through the whole process.

To date, about 20 different companies in the state have been qualified by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy as approved energy performance contractors specifically aimed toward working with school systems. It is up to the local school system to make the final selection for a contract.

Barksdale suggested that the list initially be narrowed down to four to seven companies, based on criteria such as distance from Warren County, prior experience with performance contracting and references from state school divisions with ongoing projects under performance contracting.

"Of course, it also makes sense to have fewer companies bidding for a contract," he added. "If they know they're only up against three other companies, then they figure their chances are pretty good at being selected, so they might put more time and work into the planning phases of the project."

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Warren County schools consider energy performance contracting