Lowville Academy & Central School
Lewis County
Lowville Academy and Central School: Small Fixes Powering Big Results
With help from NYSERDA, a school district gets a comprehensive energy audit and discovers the best ways to save energy and money.
Lowville Academy and Central School is located in New York’s North Country. The campus has K-12 classrooms, a cafeteria, administrative offices, athletic fields, and a bus garage.
Faced with an aging infrastructure, rising utility costs, and limited capital funding, the district partnered with NYSERDA to explore practical ways to improve building performance and reduce energy use.
The school applied for a comprehensive energy audit through NYSERDA’s FlexTech program. The audit recommended multiple energy conservation measures (ECMs) and opportunities for savings.
First Step: Low-Cost Improvements
Based on audit findings, the audit suggested low-cost improvements in five key areas:
- Lighting
- HVAC controls
- Boiler control
- Air sealing and building envelope
- Refrigeration systems
Smart Lighting Upgrades: Over $15,000 Annual Savings
To reduce peak electricity demand and enhance lighting comfort, the audit recommended:
- Install high-efficiency LEDs to replace outdated fluorescent fixtures.
- Install occupancy sensors in shared spaces and offices.
Lowville’s campus. Photo source: TRC.
At a Glance
Location: Lewis County
Enrollment: K-12
Objective: Comprehensive energy audit to evaluate energy systems, consumption, and costs
NYSERDA Program: FlexTech
Optimized HVAC Controls: Over $4,000 Annual Savings
Installing a building automation system (BAS) would:
- Reduce unnecessary heating and cooling in low-use zones like storage rooms and offices.
- Cut energy use during evenings, weekends, and breaks.
Efficient Boiler Management: Over $3,000 Annual Savings
The school operates three 22-year-old Cleaver Brooks steam boilers. Rather than replacing them, the audit suggested:
- Optimizing the sequencing and controls.
- In the bus garage, adding bay heater controls and link overhead door sensors, automatically reducing heat loss when garage doors open.
Sealed and Secured Envelope: Over $4,500 Annual Savings
Envelope improvements and weatherization recommendations included:
- Sealing roofline gaps
- Replacing aging door gaskets
- Weatherproofing exterior penetrations to help stabilize indoor temperature and reduce infiltration-related heating costs
Demand-Based Cooler & Freezer Controls: Over $400 Annual Savings
Walk-in kitchen units, which run non-stop, could be updated with smart controls:
- Compressors would cycle only when needed, minimizing electricity use while maintaining safe food storage.
Strategies for Success
System-focused planning: Rather than rely on one large project, the district can coordinate upgrades across lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, and the building envelope to maximize ROI.
Control-driven efficiency: Strategic use of occupancy sensors, door sensors, and equipment sequencing would reduce runtime and ensure systems only operated when needed.
Tuning existing equipment: Instead of replacing boilers or walk-in freezers, Lowville could target improvements to extend the life and efficiency of its existing systems.
Data-backed decision-making: The audit process guided precise interventions, such as identifying which doors or wall joints needed weatherproofing.
Cost-effective integration: By layering multiple small improvements across building systems, the school achieved substantial annual savings without needing a full facility overhaul.
Key Takeaways
The estimated cost to implement these conservation measures was approximately $385,000. Annual savings were estimated to be approximately $30,000, with electricity consumption reduced by more than 225,000 kWh.
With a roadmap for improvement, the district can now plan when and how to invest in energy upgrades. The audit demonstrates that even small districts can make significant strides in energy management, one step at a time.
Ready to learn more?
If your school would like to participate, explore the FlexTech program or contact us at [email protected].