Report: School is energy efficient

Motion sensors will reduce or turn off heating and cooling when no one is in the room.
AUSTINTOWN -- The new middle school was designed with energy efficiency in mind, according to a report given to the board by schools Superintendent Doug Heuer.
Heuer's report was in response to criticism from Meter Fromel, an unsuccessful candidate for the school board in November's elections.
Fromel, who said he is an engineer, told the board at its meeting in November that it should review the design for the middle school, now being built on Raccoon Road.
"Look at the new school. Get a hold of the project manager. You can redesign it, reinsulate it," he urged. Fromel also said the school district should consult with the building architect to save money on high heating costs.
At a board meeting Monday, Fromel said that no one from the district took his suggestion.
Details on building
Heuer did have a report, however, from Stan Watson, the district's facilities director.
Heuer highlighted points from Watson's report for the board.
* The building is tall rather than long. "Our academic wing is three stories and the administrative two. This compact configuration limits the length of duct runs and piping runs," Watson wrote in the report. "This conserves energy through limited radiant heat loss, and less energy is needed to move air through the system." Watson said that there is also less roof area, and that 70 percent of heat loss happens at the roof.
UExterior walls have an insulating value of R-19 ... "virtually the most you can hope to obtain and almost unheard of in commercial construction."
UThe building has insulated windows.
UThere's no air conditioning in the gyms.
UMotion sensor technology is utilized for lighting and the HVAC system. When no one is in a room, the heating or cooling is reduced or turned off.
UA programmable lighting control system is in halls, vestibules, stairwells, gyms, the cafetorium and the media center. Timers will turn lights on and off according to how much those areas are used.
UThe board office space has its own HVAC system.
UAll boilers are high-efficiency.