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Woodford County Public Schools eighth in nation in national competition

Schools reduced energy consumption by 10.2 percent

FRANKFORT, Ky.  (May 13, 2015) — A team consisting of Woodford County Public Schools placed eighth in the nation out of 5,500 entries in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR “Battle of the Buildings Competition: Team Challenge for 2014.” 

woodWoodford County was recognized for reducing energy consumption by 10.2 percent over the past year. Simmons Elementary School led the way, reducing energy consumption by 17.2 percent.

“As a former teacher in Woodford County, I am especially proud of the school system’s dedication to reducing their energy dependence and being recognized for their endeavors on a national stage,” said First Lady Jane Beshear. “Improving energy efficiency in Kentucky has been one of my main initiatives throughout this administration, and I am encouraged by the efforts of Woodford County’s schools and the hundreds of other schools across Kentucky that are conserving energy while teaching students ‘green’ practices that they will carry with them throughout their lives.”

The Woodford County team consisted of Huntertown, Northside, Simmons and Southside elementary schools, Woodford County middle and high schools and the district’s central office.

The team’s conservation efforts resulted in a 10 percent reduction in energy use in 2014, saving the district $62,400 in annual energy costs. Greenhouse gas reductions represent the carbon equivalent of removing 106 cars from the road for one year.

The Woodford County Board of Education adopted an energy management plan and, through a partnership with a neighboring district, utilizes the services of a part-time school energy manager.

Student energy teams helped find energy savings. The teams provided weekly reports to the building administrators, providing real-time data that could be used to encourage energy-conserving behavior by everyone in the school.