The Solutions
Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) is committed to creating energy-efficient and comfortable environments for students and staff. Their dedication to sustainability is what led to the construction of Richardsville Elementary, the first Zero Energy school in the United States, in 2010. Building on this success, WCPS aimed to extend energy- and cost-efficient solutions to their existing, aging facilities, renovating them without relocating students or staff while also preserving funding for new schools.
In Phase 1, Warren County partnered with CMTA to upgrade 654,000 SF of HVAC equipment across six schools during a single 9-week summer break. Five schools transitioned to geothermal heat pump systems, eliminating costly and inefficient chillers and boilers. To resolve humidity and airflow issues, CMTA installed dedicated outdoor air systems with individual heat pumps, along with carbon dioxide and humidity sensors to monitor indoor air quality. Existing ductwork was cleaned, encapsulated, and equipped with bi-polar ionization devices. Additionally, over 23,000 light fixtures were converted to LEDs, and 1,504 plumbing fixtures were upgraded to low-flow systems.
Athletic fields also gained dedicated irrigation meters, and a web-based HVAC control system was implemented across 20 buildings to optimize efficiency. Energy savings were further achieved by installing revenue-grade power meters at each facility to monitor consumption, reduce peak kW demand, and adjust temperature setpoints for efficiency. Detailed utility analyses uncovered savings by downsizing transformers, consolidating electrical services, and installing dedicated lighting meters for athletic fields, while additional upgrades included roof and window replacements, as well as energy-efficient dehumidification upgrades to the Aquatic Center.
CMTA's partnership with the district continued in Phase 2, which focused on expanding energy savings across 15 district buildings. This included LED lighting upgrades for four facilities and retro-commissioning the Automated Logic Controls system in 12 others. A significant effort involved installing geothermal HVAC systems for the Board Office and Briarwood Elementary School. Although a geothermal system already existed at the Board Office, its wellfield underperformed, causing overheating in the summer. CMTA drilled a new wellfield under the baseball field, adjacent to the parking lot where the existing wellfield was drilled. These two wellfields were incorporated to serve both facilities. Unexpectedly unstable ground conditions required adjustments to the wellfield design, leading to fewer, deeper wells to minimize additional pipe casing. CMTA's redesign ensured the wellfield was completed between January and March, with both renovations finalized during summer vacation while the Board Office remained occupied.
