The Montgomery County School Board heard a presentation last week from Chrissy Sherriff of McClure Company regarding the benefits of energy savings performance contracting in MCPS facilities.
Energy savings performance contracting would allow the board to upgrade school infrastructure with improved energy efficiency, reduce long term costs, and do so without up-front capital, as opposed to traditional and single-scope projects, Sherriff said.
“It is very clear what MCPS has done to answer to and show its effort toward its strategic plans,” she said. “What we’ve seen in the projects you have unfolding with Christiansburg High School, those pending and in-process, and those being thought about shows stewardship toward your community.”
Sherriff said there are guaranteed savings in energy savings contracting and that the risk would fall on the facility partner to reimburse the school system if savings metrics aren’t met. She also said that the board would still be completely in charge of what projects to use the energy savings contracting on.
The new method, Sherriff said, would examine the budget to identify where, in a number of areas such as lighting upgrades, plumbing, roof upgrades, solar, geothermal exploration, boilers, electrical, “have a savings component, not only a cost component.”
One example presented to the board revolved around lighting costs:
If lighting costs $1 million a year, and contractors recommended the replacement of fluorescent lights with high-efficiency LED lighting, there would be a total of $250,000 saved each year, which means $2.5 million saved in the first 10 years and $6 million saved in 20 years.
Sherriff also showed the board a case study of Caroline County Public Schools, which included a quote from CCPS Superintendent Sarah Calveric:
“We have been beyond thrilled with McClure’s Company attentiveness to our needs, readiness for meetings/projects, and superb communication with school leadership and all involved partners. Partnerships that extend beyond the natural relationship are such a gift, and McClure has demonstrated this quality from the infancy of our collaboration.”
Sherriff’s full presentation can be found online at www.go.boarddocs.com/vsba/mcps/Board.nsf/Public.
Board member Dana Partin of District C said the presentation detailed just how much partnering with McClure could help county schools save on more than just utilities. She said she was a “big fan” of reducing lighting costs with LED options, and she looks forward to hopefully getting something started with the company.
Board member Penny Franklin of District B said the presentation helped clarify how the savings contracting would come together to benefit MCPS.
Superintendent Dr. Bernard F. Bragen, Jr. said the next step the board could take is to issue a Request for Proposal to see what companies might be interested in partnering with MCPS.
The school board reviewed a draft of its Capital Plan update, which will be presented to the Board of Supervisors in a future meeting, and approved the Federal Applications for Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV grants, which were first presented in May.
Members also unanimously approved a supplemental appropriation for the School Operating Budget totaling $1,258,000, and approved Bragen (or a designee) to review and approve final invoices for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and July invoices for FY 2025-2026.
A motion failed to add non-instructional days to the 2025-2026 calendar for March 30-31 by a 3-4 vote.
