City School System presented Energy Stewardship Award

Truman Atkins of Energy Education presented the Dyersburg City School Board with the Award for Energy Stewardship at the organization's board meeting on Monday, Nov. 2. From November 2008 to August 2009, Dyersburg City Schools has totaled nearly $1/2 million in energy savings, an accomplishment Atkins said puts them in the top 5 percent of systems in their first year of the program. Atkins, left, presents a plaque to Dyersburg City School Board Chairman Randy Prince on behalf of the entire board, Superintendent Lloyd Ramer and 'Mr. Kilowatt' Brad Baker, who oversees the program in the city school system.

In the past year, the Dyersburg City School System has saved nearly $1/2 million dollars on energy costs through a new program with Energy Education of Dallas, Texas.

On Monday, Nov. 2, representatives of the Dyersburg City School Board were treated to a presentation on the program from "Mr. Kilowatt" Brad Baker, who oversees the new initiative within the system. School Board members also heard firsthand of Dyersburg's success from Truman Atkins, president of Energy Education's Southern Division, who presented the school system with the company's Stewardship Award.

Energy Education's Award for Energy Stewardship recognizes clients for "good stewardship resulting in a positive impact on the environment, including decreased carbon emissions and the conservation of natural resources." The Stewardship Award is one of six awards presented to clients in the Energy Education system.

"I will say this is a top school district in the country when it comes to energy management," said Atkins. "(The system is) a good steward of the environment as well as a good steward of tax dollars."

Introduced by Dyersburg City Schools Superintendent Lloyd Ramer as the "Energy Nazi" or "Mr. Kilowatt", Baker began the evening with a presentation on the success of the system's Energy Education program - a savings of $441,427 over 10 months. Baker credited the custodial staff, teachers and administrators in each of the schools for their dedication to making changes each day that affect the system's bottom line.

"A special thanks goes out to custodians for setting back each night, teachers for reducing energy waste in their classrooms and principals and staff for coordinating efforts in their schools," said Baker. "I can't say enough about the custodial staff. They are the first ones in the building on a daily basis and usually the last ones to leave."

Savings from the program benefit both the school system's bottom line and the environment, with savings equivalent to:

* 13 teaching positions

* removing 421 automobiles from highways this year

* planting 60,036 tree seedlings and growing them for 10 years

* preventing 2,347 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

From November 2008 to August 2009, the city school system has saved over 2.9 million kilowatts per hour of electricity and 66,000 cubic feet of natural gas.

"With our consultants working with them on a monthly basis, we were literally able to make hundreds of recommendations (to the system to save energy)," said Atkins. "(This system is in the) top 5 percent in terms of what they have been able to do this first year. To have been able to do this in their first year does not happen without a tremendous effort, leadership skills and a passionate drive to make this project work."