The two-phased project began in August 2015 and reached commercial operations in February 2019. Seven of the district’s least efficient elementary schools, along with its administrative office building, were the subjects of Ameresco-led energy retrofits that included the installation of comprehensive LED lighting, web-based energy management, wireless lighting control systems and upgraded HVAC systems. The schools now operating efficiently are: Lindbergh Elementary, Will Rogers Elementary, Marshall Elementary, Helen Keller Elementary, Lugo Elementary and Roosevelt Elementary.
The energy efficiency upgrades that the district has pursued are exceeding the estimated energy savings by an additional 9 percent annually. This equates to a reduction in electrical costs of 34 percent–representing approximately $234,000 in annual savings.
The district received a $3.9 million grant to complete this project, made possible by Proposition 39, the California Clean Energy Jobs Act, which allocates funding to public schools that are pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
“Upgrading our energy systems provides a significant financial benefit that we are able to reinvest into our critical infrastructure–an incredibly important endeavor for a public school system,” said Gudiel Crosthwaite, Ph.D., Superintendent, Lynwood Unified School District.
“We commend the district on its commitment to energy efficiency, as well as its longstanding and ongoing efforts to pursue all sources of funding–in this case, California’s Proposition 39–to improve both the environmental surroundings and comfort and quality of its schools on behalf of students and faculty,” said Bob Georgeoff, Vice President at Ameresco.
