Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy

 

In January of 2007, the Advanced Placement Environmental Science class initiated an energy audit with the assistance the Department of Environmental Protection.  The audit benchmarked the school on EnergyStar.gov and investigated wasteful lighting patterns, computer usage and other forms of electrical consumption. Students made recommendations to the faculty, staff, and student body to reduce electrical lighting and increase natural lighting; power down computers when not in use; and reduce phantom power usage. After one year, the school improved from a rating of 23 to 46 and saved 180,000 KWH and $10,945. From March 2007 to January 2009, the school saved a cumulative total of 214,850 kilowatt hours and $16,526.48 with a rating of 58. This translated to a 125,703lb carbon dioxide reduction.  As Collegiate continues to initiate energy-reduction strategies and improve upon infrastructure, its current Energy Star rating is 95.