MILTON — Milton High School’s campus is receiving renovations to make the campus more energy efficient.
Principal Tim Short said the process consists of two phases.
GALLERY: Photos of energy efficient renovations happening at Milton High School>
“It’s all energy upgrades,” Short said. “Our boiler and chiller system … heats and cools about two-thirds to three-fourths of our campus. The system that was in there was about 35 years old.”
Due to the system’s age, parts used to keep the unit in operation were rare and costly, Short said.
“They don’t make parts for it anymore; just to get a part made cost an exorbitant amount of money,” he said.
The chiller building, located in the center of the school, will be able to meet each classroom’s needs when the time comes.
A couple of the school buildings already have efficient running units, Harrell said. Should those AC units fail or need to be replaced, then the new chiller unit would be able to service the entire campus.
The project’s second phase involves renovations to the campus’ English and Social Studies wings. Short said those wings needed upgrades.
“They were built in the early to mid-1980s and, when they were built, we found out that you can’t heat them or cool them properly because they built with stucco walls, with little to no insulation inside of them,” he said.
Joey Harrell, the assistant superintendent for administrative services, agreed.
“When it was cold outside, those classrooms just stayed cold, and when it was warm the cooler could not meet the needs of those classrooms,” he said.
Several classrooms’ contents had to packed up to allow contractors to work on the exterior building. Those exterior walls will be replaced with well-insulted walls and energy efficient windows that will allow for a better learning environment, Harrell said.
The renovations will also include drainage upgrades. Harrell and Short said the several classrooms have endured flooding in the past due to heavy rains.
The total amount of renovations being done is more than $2.7 million.
“While it is going to cost money upfront, the money we are going to save with the energy overtime will pay for itself,” Short said.
As part of the renovations, Harrell said school officials will be able to keep a closer watch on energy usage through a digital control system. Administrators will be able to control the thermostat remotely, Harrell said. The control system will also notify administrators should problems arise with the unit.
“I think, in the long run, this will show that we are being good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Harrell said.
Short said both phases of the project are expected to be completed before the start of teacher preplanning, which is Aug. 8.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton High School undergoing energy efficient renovations (VIDEO, PHOTOS)