Clean Green Schools Studies

Adirondack Central School District contracted C&S Companies for a comprehensive study to reduce their district-wide energy consumption and to create a phased school bus electrification plan. New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019 is paving the way for the state to drastically reduce its carbon emissions, with the state-wide goal of an 85% reduction by 2050. As part of this effort, the state has issued mandates regarding school bus electrification. Starting in 2027, only electric buses may be purchased by school districts, with the additional requirement that their entire fleet is electric by 2035. As a NYSERDA approved FlexTech consultant with a specialty in school bus electrification, C&S secured 100% of the funding for the $85,000 study directly from the NYSERDA P-12 Clean Green Schools Initiative for this project.

The Level-II FlexTech audit is currently being conducted for all of their academic buildings, including West Leyden Elementary, Boonville Elementary, and their High/Middle School. The goal is to find ways to reduce their electrical usage and to reduce their monthly utility bills. Some of the energy conservation measures (ECMs) being investigated include boiler upgrades, DHW heat pumps, pump VFDs, LED lighting, controls upgrades, envelope improvements, walk-in cooler/freezer replacements, and solar array installation.

C&S also began work on the school bus electrification plan in parallel with the energy audit. First, an electrical engineer was sent on-site to verify the existing electrical infrastructure, such as the panels and transformers. Then a routing analysis will be conducted to ensure that the existing routes are capable of operating with existing electric bus technology. Once the estimated charging load is determined, C&S will speak with the local utility and determine the cost of required upgrades. A phased plan with a financial analysis will be created, taking into account Adirondack CSD’s typical budget, operating costs, maintenance costs, and operational practices. This phased plan will help ensure that during the transition, there are minimal disruptions to the student’s transportation services. This plan will also offer conceptual drawings of the proposed pathway to electrification, providing a clear roadmap for the transition.

In addition to the energy efficiency and clean transportation components, C&S’ grant writing team will also explore federal, state, and local funding avenues to assist Adirondack CSD in securing financial support. This support is aimed at the implementation of ECMs, the purchase of electric school buses, charging equipment, and infrastructure upgrades.