Energy Efficiency

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Energy Efficiency
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Energy Efficiency

• What is Energy?
• Energy is the ability to do work.
• Energy heats homes, runs refrigerators, moves
  cars, lights streets and allows you to run.
• There are different forms of energy.
• Renewable Energy is energy that can be made
  quickly, like wind energy.
• Non-Renewable Energy is energy that takes
  millions of years to be made.

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Energy Efficiency

• Non-renewable energy sources are fossil fuels
  coal, natural oil, and gas.
• Fossil Fuels are formed from the remains of dead
  plants and animals in special processes that take
  millions of years.
• Fossil Fuels represent stored energy, stored
  carbon, and stored toxins.

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Energy Efficiency

• MPS gets its electrical energy from Xcel Energy.
• Xcel Energy uses a mix of non-renewable (80) and
  renewable energy (20) sources to provide
  electricity.
• This mix includes nuclear, gas, hydo-power and
  wind.
• Xcels nuclear energy comes in part from the
  Prairie Island nuclear power plant
• Much of Xcels hydro-power comes from plants in
  Canada.

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Energy Efficiency

• MPS gets its gas from Center Point.
• Most of the Center Points gas (85-90) comes
  through pipelines from the Gulf of Mexico. The
  remainder of the gas comes from Canada.
• Gas runs to schools through pipes.
• Center Point maintains a gas meter to gauge gas
  usage.

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Energy Efficiency

• Much of the energy MPS is using comes from fossil
  fuels.
• Using fossil fuels releases stored carbon and
  other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
• As the amount of greenhouse gases in the
  atmosphere increases so does the temperature of
  the earth.
• This process is known as climate change.

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Energy Efficiency

• Climate change affects how we all will live.
• On a warmer earth, icebergs will melt, raising
  sea levels.
• Do you know people who live by the ocean? Will
  they have to move if the ocean rises?
• Plants and animals have adapted to live in
  certain climates. If climate change happens too
  quickly, they may not survive.
• What is your favorite animal? Do you think it
  will survive?

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Energy EfficiencyEnvironmental Benefits

• Burning fossil fuels releases toxins like sulfur
  dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, soot and mercury.
• If we use less fuel by being energy efficient, we
  will create less pollution.

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Energy EfficiencyEnvironmental Benefits

• Using less energy means that less energy has to
  be made.
• Making energy from non-renewable sources involves
  mining for coal or drilling for oil.
• Mining and drilling can be very harmful to the
  environment.

Surface mining
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Energy EfficiencyEnvironmental Benefits

• By using fewer fossil fuels, we can
• Stop or lessen climate change
• Stop acid rain and soot production
• Hennepin County is committed to reducing
  greenhouse gas emissions by 80 by 2050
• We can do this by being more EFFICIENT. This
  means being smart and making the best choices
  when using energy.

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Energy EfficiencyEducational Benefits

• Thinking about energy provides an opportunity to
  learn where products come from and what happens
  to them after we finish with them.
• Visit the EPAs website for educational recycling
  and energy games
• http//www.epa.gov/osw/education/kids/planetprotec
  tors/index.htm
• Visit the Energy Information Administrations
  site for more games and curriculum
• http//tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page6

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Energy EfficiencyEconomic Benefits

• Being efficient with energy is good for plants,
  animals and you. It also saves money!
• Energy costs for heating , cooling and lighting
  are very expensive. In most schools, energy
  costs more than books and supplies. Only paying
  salaries costs more.
• MPS spends 15 million per year on energy costs.

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Energy EfficiencyEconomic Benefits

• Reducing energy use is a good way to save money.
• It is possible to save money on energy without
  experiencing too much hardship because experts
  estimate that up to 25 of energy used in schools
  is wasted.
• It is wasted through inefficiencies, like not
  turning off lights, old heating and cooling
  systems, and printing excessively.
• We can fix this by being more efficient!

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Energy EfficiencyWhat MPS is Doing?

• MPS is taking steps to be energy efficient
• Upgraded more than 141 boilers, so they use less
  energy to heat water
• Preventive maintenance program to improve heating
  and cooling efficiency
• Retrofit systems using more energy efficient
  technology while aggressively pursuing rebates to
  offset the costs of the upgrades

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Energy Efficiency

• More Steps the district is taking...
• Working to improve monitoring systems to find
  ways to reduce energy consumption even more.
• Improving bus efficiency by retrofitting 40 of
  MPS-owned diesel buses with special recirculation
  valves to significantly reduce emissions

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Energy EfficiencyHow to be Energy efficient

• Here are some simple ways you can reduce energy
  use.
• Lighting accounts for 50 of energy costs.
• Turn off lights when they are not in use.
• Open the blinds during the day to use natural
  light.
• Close the blinds at night to keep the room warm.

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Energy EfficiencyHow to be Energy efficient

• Powering the monitor accounts for 50 of the
  energy a computer uses.
• Turn your computer monitor to off or sleep
  when it is not in use.
• Do NOT shut down any Mac Computers or Windows
  computers in labs. IT services performs updates
  on these computers after hours, and has already
  programmed them to automatically go to sleep
  mode.
• Turn off printers, copiers and other office
  equipment at the end of every day.
• Turn off and unplug electronics and personal
  appliances.

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Energy EfficiencyHow to be Energy Efficient

• Use MPS Green Reports to find out every
  buildings carbon footprint.
• With this information, you can find out where
  energy savings can be made.

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Energy EfficiencyHow to be Energy Efficient

• Have fun with Green Reports!
• You could Have a contest to find out whose more
  efficient middle-schoolers or the elementary
  students?

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Energy EfficiencyHow to Be Energy Efficient

• Water conservation is a part of energy savings
  and efficiency.
• Save water by
• Not letting water run
• When washing your hands turn the water on to wet
  them and then turn it off while soaping.
• Reporting leaks to maintenance staff immediately
• Maximizing natural cover in outdoor landscaping

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Energy EfficiencyHow to Be Energy Efficient

• Energy efficiency improves our environment and
  saves money.
• Little steps and big steps both count.

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Energy EfficiencyHow to Be Energy Efficient

• Its up to you!