Resource Conservation

TO: Building Principals and Site Managers
FROM: Dr. Bob Dutton, Deputy Superintendent
DATE: March 16, 2001
SUBJECT: Governor's Executive Order No. 2001-04 regarding Energy Conservation

All of you are aware that we are experiencing serious supply and price problems in the western United States electric power grid. Problems originating in California have affected power supplies and costs in other states, including Idaho. The situation is very complex, involving factors such as low water supplies in reservoirs behind dams, increased competition for natural gas supplies, and the failure of California's effort to deregulate the generation and distribution of electricity.

I have call upon all school district employees to conserve energy. Only through conservation can we ensure that we will have adequate power supplies at affordable rates during this period of uncertainty. It is incumbent on us, as public employees, to both do our part to conserve energy, and set an example for others to follow.

Accordingly, I am directing you to take all measures you deem necessary and advisable to decrease total electricity and natural gas use in District buildings and offices by ten percent, and decrease and or shift electricity consumption from the peak demand periods of 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Attached is a sheet of suggested measures that will help you meet this goal. If you have questions or need technical assistance, please contact the Facilities and Operations department of the Boise School District.

Proposed Boise Schools Energy Curtailment Procedures

The following measures should be applied in all buildings and offices in order to decrease total electricity and natural gas use by ten percent, and decrease and or shift electricity consumption from peak demand periods of 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.:

• Turn off office, classroom and task lights when not in use. When possible use task light, rather than overhead lights (open blinds for natural light). Turn off all nonessential lighting including decorative lighting and non-security outdoor lighting.
• At the close of the school workday, turn off all task lights, overhead lights, computer screens, office equipment, and, personal computers.
• Curtains, shades, or blinds buffer interior spaces from outside temperatures. Close them at night and on weekends.
• Reduce heating temperature settings and or raise air conditioning settings. Particularly focus on setting thermostats to reduce the heating or cooling load by 2 or 3 degrees Fahrenheit between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Permit employees to use portable space heaters in heated spaces only when working during evening or weekend hours when central heating systems are turned off.
• Building heating or air conditioning systems should not be operated in off-hours for small groups of employees. Heating or cooling an entire building for a small group is not efficient.
• Turn off computer screens when not in use. Screen savers do not save energy.
• Coordinate facility's janitorial staff to work during hours of building operation or to turn off all the lights except in the immediate area in which they are cleaning.
• Turn water heaters down. Where water heaters are not needed for cafeterias, turn them down to 95 or 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn off individual coffee makers. Turn down thermostats on refrigerators.
• Remove ballasts and light bulbs or lamps from all vending machines. For cold drink machines, install Vending Misers that reduce the compressor use during periods when no one is buying beverages or unplug vending machines overnight.
• Reduce power use in any other ways that are feasible. Work through normal channels.

School personnel are asked to be conservation models in this effort. However, any required measure may be waived by the building principal or site manager at any place where the measure would prevent necessary work or endanger staff, students, or the public.

These measures should be implemented immediately, and remain in force until further notice.