Nevada School District To Save $5 Million with Energy Upgrades

  • By Tim Sohn
  • 03/27/12

A Nevada school district has turned to an energy efficiency company to save thousands of dollars in costs.

Lyon County School District, based in Yerlington, NV, has signed a 15-year, $3.6 million contract with Framingham, MA-based Ameresco to make 23 buildings, comprising more than 1.2 million square feet, more energy efficient.

Overall, the upgrades to 19 schools and four administrative buildings are expected to save the district more than $345,000 a year for 15 years. New light installations alone are projected by the district to trim the maintenance budget by approximately $25,000.

In addition to monetary advantages, the improvements will cut the amount of carbon dioxide by 1,928 tons annually.

The energy upgrades, which are slated to be finished by October, include:

  • Programmable thermostats;
  • Demand-controlled ventilation;
  • Trash compactors;
  • Computer power management;
  • Vending machine controls; and
  • Lighting systems.

Under the contract, Ameresco guaranteed there will be energy cost reductions for the life of the contract, and the school district will pay up-front costs with money saved during the contract's lifespan. The district also qualified to receive $77,000 in rebates from local gas and electric companies.

Ameresco will also provide scholarships to a few graduating seniors.

The district has 8,400 students enrolled from the towns of Dayton, Fernley, Silver Springs, Smith Valley, and Yerington in eight elementary schools, five middle schools, four high schools, one K-12 school, and one alternative school.

For more information about Ameresco, visit ameresco.com Go to lyon.k12.nv.us to learn more about Lyon County School District.

About the Author

Tim Sohn is a 10-year veteran of the news business, having served in capacities from reporter to editor-in-chief of a variety of publications including Web sites, daily and weekly newspapers, consumer and trade magazines, and wire services. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @editortim.

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