The Oconto Falls School District has secured more than $8,200 in funding to optimize its building systems, an effort that is expected to reduce energy costs and waste.
The funding comes from WPPI Energy, the joint action agency for Oconto Falls Municipal Utilities (OFMU), through its energy saving programs for schools and governments.
This grant will support a three-year retro-commissioning study at Oconto Falls High School. A retro-commissioning study is a comprehensive assessment of existing building systems, such as HVAC and electrical controls, to identify opportunities for improvement and fine-tuning.
The school district will collaborate with Data Wrangler, an energy data analysis service by CLOCworks Inc., to install energy monitoring equipment. This will provide experts with continuous data on the high school’s energy usage.
Monthly meetings with OFMU staff and the energy service provider will allow the district to identify potential building improvements and track anticipated savings.
According to the Department of Energy, retro-commissioning can lead to a 5-30% reduction in a building’s energy bills. The data from this project will be used to identify energy waste, address power factor issues and highlight how energy use varies between different departments. This information can also be leveraged for future funding requests and to analyze the potential return on investment for adding battery storage or optimizing solar power.
“We’re glad that as a member-owner of WPPI, Oconto Falls can help the district identify opportunities to cut costs and reduce energy waste,” said Beth Rank, OFMU interim manager. “It will be interesting to see how having more data and insight can empower the district to make its buildings more efficient and potentially receive more funding in the future.”
