Demarest School Wins National Environmental Competition

Demarest School has taught Bloomfield students math, science and more over the years. But this week the Federal government announced the elementary school is qualified to teach a master class on lowering energy costs.

This week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that Demarest Elementary School won the agency’s Energy Star National Building Competition, “Battle of the Buildings” after reducing its energy use by 52 percent.

With the help of alternative energy consultants Synergistic Energy Solutions, School reduced its energy use with simple, inexpensive strategies.

“There wasn’t any purchase of any new energy saving equipment, just cultural changes,” Bloomfield Schools Superintendent Jason Bing told Patch.

The school identified and addressed a number of previously overlooked mechanical issues, including replacing a timer associated with the heating system that allowed it to run on a more energy efficient schedule.

Demarest’s head custodian adjusted the school’s boiler to run based on outside temperatures and weather and adjusted the hall lighting schedule so that lights were dimmed in the early morning and after student dismissal.

The staff also turned off and unplugging electronic devices such as vending machines when they were not needed.

At a ceremony at the school on Wednesday, April 24, EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck recognized the school’s principal, Mary Todaro, other school district officials, teachers and students for their work reducing energy. The Battle of the Buildings competition features teams from across the country working to improve energy efficiency, lower utility costs and protect health and the environment. More than 3,000 buildings participated in the 2012 competition. 

“The Demarest Elementary School and the Bloomfield School District found a way to improve the environment and save money at the same time,” Enck said. “The school took simple steps to significantly reduce energy use. School districts and, in fact, facilities of any kind should look to Bloomfield as a model of what they can achieve. Our children have been well served by this wonderful achievement.”

Demarest won the competition by demonstrating the largest percent-reduction in energy use, adjusted for weather and the size of the building. Overall, the school saved nearly 4.6 million kBTUs (a thousand British thermal units) of energy last year and saved nearly $76,000.

In addition to the Demarest Elementary School, other buildings within the Bloomfield School District made significant cuts energy use during the 2012 competition. Bloomfield Middle School reduced its energy use by more than 34 percent, finishing tenth over all. Five other buildings—Fairview Elementary School, Watsessing Elementary School, Brookdale Elementary School, Oak View Elementary School and Forest Glens Alternative School—also finished within the top 50 energy-reducing buildings across the nation.

School Board member Shane Berger said Bloomfield school district's operations supervisor Scott Collins was a critical part of the school’s success.

“It’s a collaborative effort between all stakeholders led by the facilities managers and Scott Collins,” he said.

The Energy Star National Building Competition measured energy performance over the year. Competitors tracked their building's monthly energy consumption using the EPA's online energy tracking tool, Energy Star Portfolio Manager. An independently licensed engineers and architects verified the energy reductions for each top finisher at the conclusion of the competition. Participants in this year’s competition saved a combined total of more than three billion kBTUs of energy and $50 million in utility costs. Competitors reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity used by more than 43,000 homes.