School Energy Savings Delayed After Pilot Program Cancelled for 2010

Sometimes, if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

The proposal for nearly $50,000 in guaranteed energy savings a year at William Annin Middle School was shelved earlier this month by provider Energy For America because of concerns that they would not be able to meet their promised savings.

As previously reported in Basking Ridge Patch, Energy For America presented a proposal to the Board of Education in December for a comprehensive overhaul of the heating and cooling systems at William Annin.

The company would install or work with previously existing computerized detection systems to monitor and remotely operate the building's energy systems. If everything went well, the pilot program at William Annin could then be expanded to the rest of the Bernards schools.

However, because the proposal was presented and accepted midway through the school year, Energy For America pulled out of the original pilot program, and will not work in the middle school this year. According to Board members, the shortened year did not give the company enough time to meet their promised savings numbers. Instead, they will submit a new comprehensive proposal for all of the Bernards schools to be considered for 2010-11.

"Energy For America, as we talked about last week, basically backed out of the original pilot program that we anticipated going into at William Annin to cut our gas costs," Board of Education member Louis Carlucci told the Board at Monday's meeting. "We still think that even though they are not going through with that, the proposal that we should see shortly, I think in February, for all of our buildings... is [likely] the best program for us."

The Energy For America program would require no capital investment, no hiring of additional staff and no contractual commitment on the part of the schools to continue the program. Once implemented, the company would also be obligated to meet the guaranteed savings they propose. The reason they do not have to meet their savings for the pilot program is because it never officially started.