By HOI ABC
NORMAL – Unit 5 is writing a roughly $3 million dollar check for upgrades at one of their older buildings.
Kingsley Junior High currently uses a boiler for heat in the winter and room units to cool classrooms in the summer. Soon those will be replaced with a geothermal unit.
“Geothermal, you are pulling the heat and cooling out of the ground instead of using electric or gas to heat or cool spaces,” said Director of Custodial Services, Craig Montgomery.
Kingsley is the 14th building in the district to get the upgrade.
The district said the $3 million dollar up front cost is worth every penny.
“The school we are sitting in now, Parkside Junior High, we’ve reduced our gas by 98% and our electricity 68%,” said Joe Adelman, the Executive Director of Operations.
What does this mean in terms of dollars and cents in the school’s operating costs?
“At Normal West we’re saving about $9,800 a month. At Parkside Junior High we’re saving about $15,000 a month. At Normal Community about $12,000 a month. At Kingsley, when it’s finished, we estimate about $7,000 a month,” said Adelman.
By that math, Unit 5 saves just over $48,000 per month, just over half a million a year. Money that can be spent on other large projects.
“So when you’re saving this money by implementing the geothermal project., it allows us to re-purpose that money to make other improvements like when Mr. Adelmlan said, here at Parkside Junior High School, we’re able to re-do the parking lot,” said Montgomery.
The district said they set a 12-year pay back plan but they’re predicting it will be finished in six.
The geothermal system at Kingsley will be fully installed and operational in time for next school year.
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