Four Shakopee Public Schools Earn ENERGY STAR® Certification: Schools recognized with EPA certification for superior energy efficiency

McKinstry, an energy and facility services expert, is pleased to announce that its work with the Shakopee Public Schools district has helped four schools earn ENERGY STAR® certification from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The four schools, Eagle Creek Elementary, Jackson Elementary, Pearson Sixth Grade Center and Sun Path Elementary, were also named among the top 10 percent of the nation for energy efficiency.

The EPA’s ENERGY STAR energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. ENERGY STAR certification signifies that buildings perform in at least the top 25 percent nationwide for energy efficiency and meet the EPA’s strict energy efficiency performance levels. McKinstry has been working with Shakopee Public Schools on various energy improvements in several of the district’s buildings, including initiatives such as lighting, controls and building envelope, the physical separator between the interior and the exterior environments of a building.

“We are pleased to accept the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” says Dr. Rod Thompson, superintendent, Shakopee Public Schools. “Through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs. Every taxpayer dollar saved on energy is a dollar the district can use to improve student achievement and provide our students with the best possible learning environment.”

Buildings earning the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By working with McKinstry to drive sustainability, the Shakopee district improved its performance at the four schools by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its buildings.

Shakopee Public Schools is a participant in McKinstry’s energy-awareness and savings program called powerED. The powerED program uses a highly collaborative approach with three key elements of focus: people, process and performance. The “people” component educates building occupants about the importance of energy efficiency and resource conversation; the “process” component identifies and implements low- and no-cost operational and maintenance strategies to reduce energy use; and the “performance” component tracks, measures, analyzes and quantifies energy savings and carbon reductions. The powerED program incorporates the three components to help schools increase staff and student awareness, pinpoint opportunities, communicate performance results and promote successes.