Policy 7.1965

Energy Conservation Incentive Program

1. Purpose. The School District desires to reduce energy use and to be good stewards of our natural resources, while also reducing expenditures. The District also desires that schools take an active role in managing energy consumption on their campuses. In order to achieve these goals, the District is offering a monetary incentive program that rewards schools for reducing their energy consumption on a yearly basis.

2. Award Categories

1. Most Improved Category

1. Eligibility

1. The school must reduce its energy consumption by at least 5 percent as compared to the previous fiscal year.

2. The school must submit an application to the Green Schools Recognition Program (www.ourgreenschools.com); the applications are due early spring of each year.

3. The school must document its efforts to share its energy conservation strategies with other schools.

2. Basis of Award

1. Schools will be compared to themselves, using data from the current versus the previous fiscal year.

2. Weather adjustments and changes in campus use (addition of portables, afterschool programs, leases) will be taken into account.

3. The school must submit any changes which could affect energy usage at the school (e.g., addition or removal of portables, regional summer school, etc.).

4. These schools will receive 15% of the savings.

2. Top Performers Category

1. Eligibility

1. The school must submit an application to the Green Schools Recognition Program (www.ourgreenschools.com); the applications are due in early spring of each year.

2. The school must have been open for at least one full year.

3. The school must be at least 50% utilized measuring its February FTE as compared to its Florida Inventory of School Houses (FISH) capacity.

4. The school must document its efforts to share its energy conservation strategies with other schools.

2. Basis of Award

1. The schools that are in the top 5 percent (rounded up) of the lowest energy users in the previous fiscal year for the following groups: elementary, middle, high, and adult/alternative education. These schools will receive a bonus incentive.

3. Budget. - Subject to annual Board approval, each fiscal year the School Board may budget an amount equal to the actual energy expense reported to the Florida Department of Education in the previous year multiplied by 0.005; these funds will be set aside for this Energy Conservation Incentive Program.

4. Distribution and Use of Funds. - The awards will be distributed by September 1^st of the following fiscal year. The funds will be provided to each school's School Advisory Council to be distributed in accordance with their bylaws. Funds will be transferred to the schools' internal accounts and the use of the funds shall follow the same rules of the internal account funds.

5. Designated Official. - The Chief of Facilities Management will be responsible for implementing this policy and addressing energy conservation issues district-wide. To assist with this policy, each school principal shall designate an employee who will be responsible for energy conservation issues on the school campus.