Descriptor Term:

ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

Descriptor Code:

EBD-P

Date Issued:

November 15, 2005

1. The district shall employ appropriate staff and contractors whose assigned responsibilities include the development and implementation of energy and natural resource conservation programs.
2. Each school principal or building manager shall designate a contact person to serve as that facility’s conservation advisor to all employees and students regarding energy policies and procedures. The director of maintenance or his/her designee shall coordinate the training of the conservation advisors and disseminate energy-related and natural resource materials to school system facilities.
3. Architectural and engineering design guidelines developed by the facilities department shall include specific criteria for enhancing the energy efficiency of facilities and protecting and preserving natural resources. Designs for new building and major renovation projects shall conform to the design guidelines issued by the school system. Designers shall be required to demonstrate that their designs are in conformance with these guidelines to the satisfaction of the professional staff of the facilities department.
4. Design services for all new buildings and major renovation projects shall include an analysis of energy consumption and life cycle costs, and will assess natural resource impacts.
5. Project budgets shall include quality energy-efficient and resource conserving facilities and equipment which meet or exceed the performance criteria established in the school system’s architectural and engineering design guidelines.
6. Budget requests for the operation and maintenance of existing facilities shall include adequate funds to maintain and enhance the operating efficiency of buildings, building systems, and related equipment.
7. An energy/resource analysis shall be performed by the maintenance department staff at appropriate intervals after completion of new buildings and major renovations to compare actual consumption to consumption estimates projected by design consultants. This data shall be used to further improve designs for future projects.
8. The maintenance department staff shall monitor energy use and utilities costs for each school system facility and shall report this information to the superintendent annually.
9. The maintenance director shall coordinate closely with community schools staff to assure all rentals and programs are located in the most efficient areas/zones and to establish and implement reasonable compensation for energy consumed through the use of facilities as a result of community schools programs.
10. The maintenance staff shall develop and implement guidelines that deal specifically with use of school facilities during unoccupied times of the year; i.e., summers, holidays, and vacation days.
11. The maintenance staff shall develop and maintain specific emergency energy and utility conservation guidelines that the superintendent may implement in the event of an energy emergency. These guidelines will include shutdown priorities and procedures that may be implemented during periods of energy, natural resource, or funding crisis.
12. Noting that the yellow bus fleet is under the purchasing control of the state, the purchase of all other motor vehicles, where it is a district decision, will be based upon the most fuel and emission efficient unit of sufficient size and durability to perform in the most cost effective manner. Attention will be given to new design vehicles such as “hybrids” that will meet this goal. Vehicle replacement schedules will be established to maintain a fleet which is as fuel and emission efficient as possible with a target length of service of eight to ten years.
13. The director of transportation will:
    • Develop a vehicle energyconservation policy that reflects N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles/N.C. Department of Public Instruction standards for safe and efficient use of school buses to transport students.
    • Ensurethe Transportation Departmentstaff monitorsschool bus fuelconsumptiondata to insure that state and local guidelines for efficiency and emissions are being met.
    • Develop and publish in The Handbook For The School Bus Driver and The Safety Assistant specific written school bus idling policies that comply with State Board of Education and NCDPI direction and covers the following items:
      1. Bus drivers shall not run the engines in idle longer than five (5) minutes.
      2. Buses shall not be left running without the driver within 3 feet of the bus.
      3. Buses should not park “nose to tail” when it can be avoided.
      4. Bus engines should not idle while loading or unloading on school grounds or at school related activities. This includes activity buses.
      5. Buses should not park close to school building air-intake systems unless alternative parking locations would interfere with traffic, impair student safety or are not cost effective and efficient.
      6. Air conditioners on school buses will not be run unless approved by the responsible Route Operations Supervisor.
    • Develop and publish to all school and central staff an idling policy that applies To all non-yellow school bus Guilford County Schools vehicles.
14. Principals are responsible to:
    • The extent possible, post “no idling” signs to alert parents, staff and bus drivers to turn off vehicles when waiting or parked. The principal shall ensure the parents in car pool lanes are informed of the school’s “no idling policy.”
    • Monitor their bus parking area and ensure school bus engines are not allowed to idle while waiting to off-load or load students (except special needs as necessary.)
    • Ensure their staff that operates activity buses and other GCS vehicles are aware of and comply with the GCS bus idling policy.