Energy Efficiency in K-12 Schools: A Case Study in Florida

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh Doiphode ◽  
Hamidreza Najafi ◽  
Mariana Migliori Favaretto
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Payback Period ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
Institute Of Technology ◽  
K 12

Abstract Buildings are one of the largest energy consumers in the United States. K-12 schools are responsible for nearly 8% of energy consumption by commercial buildings which is equivalent to 1.44% of total annual energy consumption in the country. Understanding the baseline energy consumption of the schools as well as identifying effective energy efficiency measures (EEMs) that result in significant energy savings without compromising occupant’s comfort in a given climate condition are essential factors in moving towards a sustainable future. In a collaboration between Florida Institute of Technology and Brevard Public Schools, three schools are identified for a test study in Melbourne, FL, representing the humid subtropical climate. Energy audit is conducted for these schools and monthly utility bill data as well as background information, end-user’s data and their associated operating schedules are obtained. A detailed analysis is performed on the utility bill data and energy consumption by each end-user is estimated. Several EEMs are considered and evaluated to achieve an improved energy efficiency for the schools. The implementation cost of each EEM and the associated simple payback period is also determined. A study is also conducted to explore possibility of using solar power to cover 50% of energy requirements of each school and the cost and payback period of the project are evaluated. The results of this paper provide insights regarding prioritizing energy efficiency projects in K-12 schools in humid subtropical climates and particularly the state of Florida and help with decision making regarding investment in on-site power generation using solar energy.

Energy Efficiency Improvement in K-12 Schools: A Case Study in Florida

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh Doiphode ◽  
Hamidreza Najafi ◽  
Mariana Migliori
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Energy Audit ◽  
Humid Climate ◽  
Hot And Humid Climate ◽  
K 12

Abstract K-12 schools are responsible for over 1.4% of the total annual energy consumption in the United States. In a collaboration between Florida Institute of Technology and Brevard Public Schools (BPS), three schools are identified for a case study in Melbourne, FL, representing the hot and humid climate. A simple and replicable energy audit procedure is developed and conducted for the three schools to establish an understanding on the baseline energy consumption and energy end users and identify and evaluate effective energy efficiency measures (EEMs). Several EEMs are investigated and five EEMs associated with lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning and on-site solar power generation are selected for detailed analysis. It is determined that implementing the five recommendations will result in total of 58% reduction in the schools’ energy cost with an overall payback period of 8.4 years. The benefits of such project for schools are discussed from energy, economic, environmental, and educational perspectives. The results of this study provide insights regarding prioritizing energy efficiency projects in K-12 schools in hot and humid climate. The developed approach can be conveniently used for energy assessment in other schools and can serve as a method for training engineering students to perform energy audit.

Optimization of WWTP aeration process upgrades for energy efficiency

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Y. Bell ◽  
S. Abel
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Power Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
The United States ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Direct Drive ◽  
Dissolved Oxygen Control ◽  
Treatment Facilities

The volatility of energy prices, desire to improve sustainability, recently proposed legislation, and energy-efficiency project funding have created big opportunities to improve energy and operation efficiency at most water and wastewater facilities. One mechanism of developing these opportunities is through energy management planning. Focusing on wastewater treatment, the majority of electrical energy demand is required for the delivery of air to provide oxygen for biological treatment of waste streams and mixing to suspend solids within process units. Aeration processes can account for 60 percent or more of the overall power consumption at a wastewater treatment plant. Consequently, the recent introduction of direct-drive, high-speed, turbo blowers to the wastewater market has been of great interest with respect to potential energy savings, as well as other ancillary benefits. Given the significant power consumption required by aeration systems at wastewater treatment facilities, demonstration investigations have been conducted to identify the magnitude of energy savings that wastewater treatment facilities could expect. These studies have shown that energy savings in excess of 35 percent can easily be achieved by replacing existing conventional blower technology with direct-drive turbo blowers. Even greater energy savings are anticipated if other process upgrades, such as automatic dissolved oxygen control, is implemented. This paper provides background information on turbo-blower technology and specific findings from demonstration studies in the United States (U.S.).

Medication Administration Practices in United States’ Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis

2021 ◽  
pp. 105984052110263
Author(s):  
Ashley A. Lowe ◽  
Joe K. Gerald ◽  
Conrad Clemens ◽  
Cherie Gaither ◽  
Lynn B. Gerald
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Medication Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medication Administration ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Level Of Training ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Keyword Searches

Schools often provide medication management to children at school, yet, most U.S. schools lack a full-time, licensed nurse. Schools rely heavily on unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to perform such tasks. This systematic review examined medication management among K-12 school nurses. Keyword searches in three databases were performed. We included studies that examined: (a) K-12 charter, private/parochial, or public schools, (b) UAPs and licensed nurses, (c) policies and practices for medication management, or (d) nurse delegation laws. Three concepts were synthesized: (a) level of training, (b) nurse delegation, and (c) emergency medications. One-hundred twelve articles were screened. Of these, 37.5% (42/112) were comprehensively reviewed. Eighty-one percent discussed level of training, 69% nurse delegation, and 57% emergency medications. Succinct and consistent policies within and across the United States aimed at increasing access to emergency medications in schools remain necessary.

scholarly journals Can We Regulate Our Way to Energy Efficiency? Product Standards as Climate Policy

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah M. Sachs
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Carbon Taxes ◽  
Regulatory Approach

In this Article, I demonstrate that the regulatory strategy for energy efficiency is working. Although information disclosure, financial incentives, and other softer alternatives to regulation play a vital role in reducing energy demand, these should be viewed as complements to efficiency regulation, rather than replacements. The regulatory approach has led to substantial cost and energy savings in the past, it has enjoyed bipartisan political support, and it targets products and behaviors that are difficult to address through other policy tools. Given the politics of climate change in the United States, which make federal carbon taxes or a cap-and-trade system infeasible, the regulatory option should be expanded, not abandoned.

scholarly journals Improving the economic performances of the beet-sugar industry

2008 ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bojana Prodanic ◽  
Aleksandar Jokic ◽  
Jelena Markovic ◽  
Zoltan Zavargo
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
General Trend ◽  
Sugar Industry ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Considerable Saving ◽  
Energy Efficiency Improvement

General trend of free trade at the regional level as well as in the direction of European Union has motivated sugar factories located in Serbia to invest into technologies that are more efficient in order to make their products more competitive in the markets of Europe. Until 2005, the project of energy efficiency improvement in Serbian sugar factories was conducted in Crvenka and Zabalj. Now, they have energy consumption around 1 MJ/kg beet, in contrast to the previous consumption of 1.2 up to 1.5 MJ/kg beet. Further improvements are possible but investments would be high. A result of measurements taken during 2006, after the sugar factory "Donji Srem" - Pecinci was reconstructed showed that a considerable saving has been achieved. The first set of measurements showed that the energy consumption was 1.01 MJ/kg beet, which was 20% higher than intended, but at the same time energy savings were about 30% lower with respect to the values before the reconstruction.

Accountability Challenges in Networks and Partnerships: Evidence from Educational Partnerships in the United States

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhittin Acar ◽  
Peter J. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Field Research ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Interorganizational Networks ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Educational Partnerships ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
K 12

The study from which this article is drawn constitutes one of the first attempts to remedy the paucity of research on accountability in the context of interorganizational networks and public–private partnerships. The data for the study were drawn from field research focusing particularly on partnerships formed between K-12 public schools and private and/or non-profit organizations in the United States. The most frequently cited difficulties associated with accountability in partnerships were the availability of and access to information, sectoral and personal differences, and frequent changes in personnel, resources, and partners.

scholarly journals Optimization of Energy Efficiency, Operation Costs, Carbon Footprint and Ecological Footprint with Reverse Osmosis Membranes in Seawater Desalination Plants

Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 781
Author(s):  
Federico Leon ◽  
Alejandro Ramos ◽  
S. Ovidio Perez-Baez
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Reverse Osmosis ◽  
Ecological Footprint ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Seawater Desalination ◽  
Operation Costs ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Desalination Plants ◽  
Reverse Osmosis Membranes

This article shows the optimization of the reverse osmosis process in seawater desalination plants, taking the example of the Canary Islands, where there are more than 320 units of different sizes, both private and public. The objective is to improve the energy efficiency of the system in order to save on operation costs as well as reduce the carbon and ecological footprints. Reverse osmosis membranes with higher surface area have lower energy consumption, as well as energy recovery systems to recover the brine pressure and introduce it in the system. Accounting for the operation, maintenance and handling of the membranes is also important in energy savings, in order to improve the energy efficiency. The energy consumption depends on the permeate water quality required and the model of the reverse osmosis membrane installed in the seawater desalination plant, as it is shown in this study.

Stern Flap Powering Performance Prediction for the Coast Guard 110-Foot WPB Island Class Patrol Boat

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (02) ◽  
pp. 100-110
Author(s):  
Michael R. Cocklin ◽  
Michael G. Parsons ◽  
Armin W. Troesch
Keyword(s):  
Performance Prediction ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
The United States ◽  
Payback Period ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
United States Coast Guard ◽  
Internal Conflicts ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
One Year

The United States Coast Guard, in supporting and executing its growing list of missions, employs the 110 ft WPB Coastal Patrol Board as a multipurpose platform. Recently, the internal conflicts in Haiti which resulted in the mass exodus of people required extensive use of 110 ft WPBs. These Coastal Patrol Boats are being deployed for longer periods of time with longer on-scene time than before. But with this growing list of missions and recent developments, the Coast Guard's budget has not increased. The Coast Guard has had to do more with less. In order to do this, one must look at ways of reducing the operating cost of the cutters. Analytical analysis of a 110 ft WPB Coastal Patrol Boat is used to show that retrofitting these vessels with a stern flap will lead to an effective energy enhancement with application to the entire 110 ft WPB Coastal Patrol Boat Fleet. The projected energy savings per cutter per year is over $5165. With a fleet of 49, the projected fleet savings per year is $253 085. The payback period for the installation costs would be just over one year.

Equitable Educational Opportunities in K-12 Schools: West African and U.S. Public Schools Compared

2020 ◽  
pp. 002205742096676
Author(s):  
Adekunle Lawal
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Public Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
West African ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Equal Access ◽  
Education For All ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Elementary And Secondary Education ◽  
K 12

In an effort to promote public elementary and secondary education that meets world standards where all students have equal access to 21st-century public schools, some countries have adopted Education For All (EFA) policy. This article examines how three selected countries (the United States, Nigeria, and Gambia) are implementing the idea of giving all children the opportunity of equal access to public education. The article explores the historical trend of the concept and several education policies enacted in each country to make the program productive.

E|Benchmark - Approaches and Methods for Assessing the Energy Efficiency of the Industrial Automated Product Manufacturing

2014 ◽  
Vol 655 ◽  
pp. 15-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Kreitlein ◽  
Tobias Rackow ◽  
Jörg Franke
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
Product Manufacturing ◽  
Actual Energy Consumption ◽  
Related Characteristic ◽  
Industry Comparison ◽  
Successive Calculation

This paper introduces a method for the assessment and evaluation of energy efficiency of the manufacturing processes in the production as well as a corporate and cross-industry comparison. Already today, energy-related characteristic value systems are used, which are related to the energy consumption of large electronic household appliances or are focusing on their production facilities. The energy efficiency value is a newly developed indicator and will provide valuable information about the energy efficiency of the production of various products, production operators, and consumers. In the following, the energy efficiency value, which is based on the approach of minimal value calculation, is presented in detail. The basic idea is the comparison and evaluation of energy efficiency based on the ratio of the theoretically required energy consumption to the actual energy consumption. Depending on the analysis of influencing factors, a model highlighting their dependencies could be established. The developed system hinges on a successive calculation of the minimum value. Each of these minimum types can be put in relation to the measured energy consumption. However, depending on the chosen basis, the conclusion and focus of the calculated key figure may vary. By using the real minimum as a basis, the actually existing energy savings become visible. The method will be put to the test through an exemplary application for processes in the fields of cutting technologies. This course of action allows for the validation of the developed energy efficiency value and reveals the potential of this method.

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