Spring 2025 Guaranteed Energy Savings Project
Over the course of more than a year, the District engaged in a deliberate, transparent, and highly collaborative process to explore, evaluate, and ultimately approve a Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA) project aligned to long-term facilities needs and fiscal responsibility. This work began in early January 2024 with an initial meeting with Constellation to explore potential energy savings opportunities for the District, followed closely by a comprehensive School Board facilities tour to identify capital needs and areas of concern across District buildings. A detailed list of School Board members and administrators who participated in each District facilities tour is documented in the attached GESA Timeline.
Throughout the spring of 2024, the Building and Grounds Committee played a critical role in reviewing findings from the facilities tour, identifying priority capital needs, and examining Constellation’s introductory and preliminary assessment presentations. To ensure due diligence and real-world context, District leadership also visited another district in the region to speak directly with administrators about their recently completed GESA project. These steps ensured the Board and administration were informed not only by data, but also by comparable district experience.
In June and July 2024, Constellation formally presented its preliminary assessment to both administration and the Board, and the Board authorized the issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to explore a potential GESA project further. Subsequent Building and Grounds Committee meetings refined an initial list of priorities to be included in an Investment Grade Audit (IGA). In August 2024, the Board selected both McClure and Constellation to conduct IGAs, reinforcing the District’s commitment to a competitive and transparent evaluation process.
The fall of 2024 focused on process review, priority refinement, and long-range planning. The Building and Grounds Committee reviewed timelines and finalized priority lists, culminating in December 2024 when both firms presented their IGAs at a public Discussion and Voting Meeting. Following those presentations, the Board selected Constellation to move forward with the GESA project. Additional committee work in December reviewed potential scope adjustments to ensure alignment with District needs and fiscal parameters.
In January 2025, the Board conducted a second facilities tour to closely examine the specific items proposed for inclusion in the GESA project. Later that month, the Board formally approved the project scope and publicly released the District’s Capital Needs and Asset List, identifying assets that were past or nearing end-of-life. This step reinforced transparency and provided the community with clear insight into why specific projects were prioritized. In February 2025, the Board approved the GESA contract with Constellation and authorized the necessary actions to finance the project through bond issuance, completing the formal approval process.
The approved GESA scope represents a comprehensive investment in District infrastructure, safety, efficiency, and long-term sustainability. Projects include interior and exterior lighting upgrades, HVAC upgrades and replacements, building automation system improvements, mechanical retro-commissioning, window and door replacements, building envelope improvements, and major site and athletic facility enhancements such as stadium lighting, a stadium scoreboard with sound system, gymnasium sound system upgrades, bleacher replacement, parking lot paving, and consistent District signage. The total approved project cost is $13,321,177, reflecting a strategic approach to addressing critical infrastructure needs while leveraging guaranteed energy savings and long-term financial planning.