Texas District Cuts Energy Costs with Ice Tanks

The Alamo Heights Independent School District (AHISD) has adopted ice-based energy storage technology to cool more than 325,000 square feet during peak demand for its 900-kilowatt solar power systems.

The district adopted IceBank tanks from Calmac, which allow it to use energy from the grid during the night, when it's cheaper, to create ice, which is then melted throughout the day to cool buildings at the high school and reduce cooling costs.

"As a result," according to a news release, "the district has reduced peak energy consumption by more than 20 percent, despite an increase in square footage and student population."

"The use of Calmac's ice-based energy storage tanks has really allowed us to capitalize on the most cost-effective energy from the grid," said Mike Hagar, assistant superintendent for business and finance at AHISD, in a prepared statement. "We had heard about energy storage in the past, but the technology has exceeded expectations."

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • laptop screen displaying a typed essay, on a child

    McGraw Hill Acquires Essaypop Digital Learning Tool

    Education company McGraw Hill has announced the acquisition of Essaypop, a cloud-based writing tool that will enhance the former's portfolio of personalized learning capabilities.

  • glowing digital brain made of blue circuitry hovers above multiple stylized clouds of interconnected network nodes against a dark, futuristic background

    Report: 85% of Organizations Are Leveraging AI

    Eighty-five percent of organizations today are utilizing some form of AI, according to the latest State of AI in the Cloud 2025 report from Wiz. While AI's role in innovation and disruption continues to expand, security vulnerabilities and governance challenges remain pressing concerns.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • A child surrounded by glowing, fluid virtual patterns and holographic shapes, illuminated in a dark gradient environment of blue, purple, and pink.

    ClassVR Gets Expanded VR/AR Content Library

    Avantis Education has announced a new content library for its ClassVR virtual and augmented reality platform. Dubbed Eduverse+, the library features four content suites — EduverseAI, WildWorld, STEAM3D, and CareerHub — that can be tailored to suit a variety of educational levels.