District 518 talks green projects

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WORTHINGTON — The District 518 Board of Education will continue planning for a series of projects that should reap energy savings for the district and fill other needs.

On Thursday, the board approved a performance contract with McKinstry for the projects, which include classroom additions to Worthington Middle School, an updated ventilation system, and implementation of several energy-saving measures.

The equipment used to make three main buildings in the district (Worthington High School, WMS and Prairie Elementary) more energy efficient should pay for itself in an average of about 13 years, depending on the particular measure taken.

Among measures being considered is replacement of the boilers in the high school and middle school with high-efficiency units; replacement or repiping of water heaters; replacement of a district-wide temperature control system; an upgrade to more efficient light bulbs; the sealing of penetrations in seams along roof lines, windows and doors; the addition of automatic light and temperature controls in vending machines; an upgrade to low-flow flush valves in urinals and toilets and implementation of energy conservation lessons into the curriculum at all levels.

Some items are operational, but not cost-effective.

“It’s working the way it is, but it’s costing you more money the way its happening,” said McKinstry’s Pat Overom, referring to incorrect piping to the middle school’s kitchen.

“I think it will be important to know some of these other reasons (for implementation), outside of just energy, because there may be maintenance, there may be other advantages, too. To make a decision only based on (energy savings) would be quite difficult,” commented board member Linden Olson.

The improvements could cost from $1.2 to $1.5 million and would be paid back with money the district saves on energy costs.

Board member Steve Schnieder suggested the single-pane windows still used in the high school also be replaced.

“Not only are (they) not energy efficient, but it leads to discomfort for the people who work in there,” he said.

The estimated $3.3 million expansion of the middle school could include the addition of six to eight classrooms in the cove located at the rear of the building and the addition of administrative offices and at least two multipurpose rooms in the cove at the front of the building, adding a total of eight to 10 classrooms.

The project would be funded by the district’s lease levy, which allows payment over a period of time to reduce impact on the taxpayer, explained Brent Roemen of McKinstry.

The roughly $8 million worth of updates to the high school and middle school ventilation systems would be funded by a similar mechanism, though that project will have a larger impact on taxpayers in the district. Some parts of the ventilation system will be replaced to improve indoor air quality, Overom explained, while others parts are newer and still considered operational.

The projects could run about $12 million in all, though McKinstry representatives said that number could be lower as utility rebates are used. The projects are also awaiting review by the Minnesota Department of Education, which should be received in June.

In other business Thursday, the board voted to expel two students from the Area Learning Center for inappropriate behavior toward staff members.

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