Two schools in the Christina school district will be getting an energy makeover.
Glasgow High School and Gauger-Hobbs Middle School will be subjects of a $5 million dollar pilot energy efficiency program, sponsored by the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility.
The program will seek to save roughly 30 percent of energy costs by making changes to reduce energy needs from lighting, heating, air conditioning, among other utilities. The improvements will pay the district back $7 million dollars over the course of 20 years.
Kelli Rocca, director of facilities services for the district, looks forward to these upgrades and the educational opportunities it will bring.
“This pilot program, this opportunity to pay for capital improvements over time with energy savings or dollars is really a terrific opportunity for the district," said Rocca.
Additionally, the district has also agreed to participate in a solar resiliency project to build solar canopies over school parking lots. Rocca said this will help make the district’s energy efficiency initiatives more visible to the public.
“Sometimes when you do upgrades or capital improvements, it’s above the ceiling or behind walls and they aren’t as visual. Whereas that solar program out there in the parking lot, everyone’s going to see it and everyone’s going to know it. That provides another opportunity to make people aware," said Rocca.
Construction at the schools will begin in July for the energy efficiency program. And once the costs have been determined, the district will also begin building for the solar resiliency program most likely in the fall.
