by Rebecca Walker — April 7, 2010—The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently launched the Sustainability Initiatives Program, which is designed to reduce energy consumption, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by ten percent by 2012.
A cornerstone of the plan is the Utility Savings Share Program, which enlists the help of teachers and students to reduce energy and water usage in each school.
The previous years water and electrical usage numbers are used as a baseline with which to compare the 2009-10 school years usage numbers. If a school reduces its usage by at least one percent, it will earn a portion of the savings. If a school reduces utility costs by three to five percent, it will earn 30 percent of the savings.
The remainder of the savings will be split on a 50/50 basis between the general fund and new utility conservation projects. The baseline data will be adjusted each year so that schools can continue to earn savings if they continue to cut their utility usage.
The school district also plans to install 50 megawatts of solar photovoltaic panels by 2012, potentially saving more than $20 million annually on an annual $85 million power bill. LAUSD is partnering with SunPower Corp. a manufacturer of high efficiency solar cells and solar panels.
