Plug Smart Partners With East Knox Local School District To Give Students Improved Energy-Efficient Facilities

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Ohio-based energy service provider Plug Smart has partnered with East Knox Local School District to improve existing facilities at the elementary school so when the new high school opens, all students in the district will have an improved learning environment.

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The partnership between East Knox Local School District and the energy solutions company started in 2016 with a project to upgrade lighting in a handful of classrooms to LED. In 2018, it grew when Plug Smart upgraded the high school corridor and gym lighting; in 2019, the work extended to upgrade the elementary school's lighting, boilers, and building automation system.

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"From working with Plug Smart in the past, we were confident in the solutions that they would develop for our elementary building. Because of the upgrades they are implementing now, our district will be able to maximize our energy savings for years to come, allowing us to better serve our students and staff," said Steve Larcomb, East Knox Superintendent.

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To increase energy efficiency, functionality, flexibility, and cost savings, maintenance staff at East Knox Elementary School sought more efficient lighting and more refined climate control. Plug Smart developed a creative solution to the district's challenges by upgrading all lights to LED, repairing or replacing non-functional motion sensors, and installing a new building automation system.

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"It's great to see East Knox not only lower their bills but also improve the comfort of the building for current and future staff and students. We were excited about the opportunity to build on our relationship, bring these upgrades to fruition, and better prepare the elementary school for the future," said Nate Patrick, Plug Smart Senior Project Developer.

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To maximize savings, the energy management team pursued the highest energy-reduction methods first. The lighting controls and cooling innovation deliver more than $45,000 in annual operational savings for the district. They also worked effectively during school breaks, so the project had minimal impact on the school's academic schedule.

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As a result of the successful partnership, all East Knox campuses will better serve their students for years to come. With the facility improvements at the elementary building complete, district administrators can focus their capital improvement attention on the construction of their new junior/senior high building that is scheduled to open in the 2022-23 school year.

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Plug Smart has completed many major permanent improvement projects for other Ohio school districts facing similar challenges and will continue to bring intelligent building solutions to other school districts, optimizing the learning environment for students ahead of the 2020-2021 school year. School district administrators interested in Plug Smart's energy services can contact Nate Patrick, Project Development Manager, at (614) 420-5443.

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Click here to view the published press release.