FortBendNow.com

The Fort Bend Independent School District has been awarded an incentive check for $120,762 from the CenterPoint Energy Schools Conserving Resources Program for incorporating high efficiency roofs, lighting, and air conditioning systems into its new and existing facilities.

Pictured are Fred Wu, SCORE Program Consultant; Bob Broxson, FBISD Board President; and Cheryl Bowman, SCORE program manager for CenterPoint.

In addition to financial incentives, the SCORE Program provided no-cost technical assistance to facilitate the implementation of the energy efficiency upgrade projects. The incentive amount was determined by the total amount of energy the school will save. The new, high efficiency lighting, air conditioners and roofs installed by the district will save more than 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, equivalent to taking 172 passenger vehicles off the road, according to Environmental Protection Agency calculations.

“Fort Bend ISD is committed to reducing energy consumption wherever possible, and energy efficiency is an important part of that commitment,” said John Campbell, FBISD energy management manager. “The incentives and technical guidance offered through the SCORE Program helped make these upgrades a reality.”

The SCORE Program worked with the district to involve personnel from all departments in the decision-making process so that everyone understood the financial benefits of investing in the projects. Michael Johnson, FBISD executive director of construction and engineering, stated that this aspect of the program is “vital because it guarantees that the financial decision makers understand the long-term advantages of utilizing the equipment and therefore can justify investing in energy efficiency upgrades.”

“We identified a real need for an energy efficiency program that specifically targets school districts, especially as budgets are spread thin,” said Cheryl Bowman, SCORE program manager for CenterPoint. “This program is an organized effort to bring needed resources and energy efficiency to Texas schools.”