Students may not realize that summer vacation is a week shorter than in the past. But Walter Moran knows it. As the superintendent of facilities, he has just 60 days to oversee a complete renovation of the school district’s energy system.
Back in April, the State Education Department approved a New York Power Authority (NYPA) plan to make Cornwall more energy efficient. That left a narrow window to get bids and line up contractors, so that work could begin as soon as the school year was finished.
Mr. Moran has a lengthy “to do” list mounted in his office. Among the summer projects are:
-Changing the heating systems from fuel oil to natural gas.
-Replacing the boilers with new ones that are much smaller and more efficient. (Look for “before and after” pictures later in the summer.)
-Dehumidifying the pool area in the high school and covering the pool
-Installing lights with sensors that will shut off when there is enough daylight to keep areas well-lit
-Improving the lighting in all the gymnasiums
-Enhancing the control system so that Mr. Moran can spot problems on his desktop computer, and (possibly) correct them without leaving his office.
Guth DeConzo Consulting Engineers designed the project, which has employed several local contractors. Carl Otto and Mike Spencer of Guth DeConzo have set up an office near Mr. Moran for the duration of the summer. “I can’t think of a local school district,” Mr. Otto said, “that has undertaken this large a project.”
By authorizing the work, the district expects to reduce its carbon footprint, improve its indoor environment and save money. “We’ll be creating a positive cash flow,” Mr. Sotland (Cornwall’s business official) predicts. “We’ll be saving more money than we’re paying…. The age of the old boilers helped make this a no-brainer. They were such fuel hogs.”
