Bellingham School District’s Sehome High School now spends far less on energy costs and more on education. Following a voter-approved bond to implement energy-efficient equipment district-wide, the District worked with the CNG Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency program to help them strategically incorporate energy savings and incentives into a planned remodel of Sehome High School.
Throughout the remodel’s planning phase, a CNG Commercial and Industrial program team member provided technical services to identify solutions—and corresponding cash incentives—to lower energy and operating costs. “The administers of this program are friendly and helpful,” said Curtis Lawyer, capital projects manager, Bellingham School District. “It does not take a lot of effort for the reward.”
For Sehome High School, the solutions included the installation of energy-efficient boilers, condensing hot water heaters for all hot water, and motion-control faucets throughout the facility. These upgrades netted the District a $41,098 cash incentive from the CNG Commercial and Industrial program, along with annual energy savings of 17,005 therms.
While the cash incentives helped reduce the project’s upfront costs, the new energy-efficient equipment also reduces utility costs and the time spent on equipment maintenance. “Reduced operating costs that help our general fund allow us to put more money where it belongs: instruction,” said Lawyer. “The rebate helps refund our capital budget to help us continue to do great things with it.”
CNG provides cash incentives for eligible commercial customers installing a wide variety of qualifying laundry equipment, kitchen equipment, water heating equipment, facility heating equipment and retrofit insulation projects.
Equipment Installed
3 Boilers
6 Condensing Hot Water Heaters
20 Motion-control Faucets
Energy Savings
17,005 therms annually
Cash Incentive
$41,098