Overview

E=mc˛ Technical Assistance Program for
Public School Districts and Health Care Facilities

Step 1:  Identify a public school or health care facility interested in making facility improvements that may have energy saving potential.

Step 2:  School or health care facility enrolls in DEQ's Technical Assistance Program for public school districts or health care facilities.

Step 3:  DEQ, with the school's or health care facility's help,  gathers and reviews information on individual building floor area, total energy use and total energy cost.

IF AT LEAST ONE BUILDING IS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING GOOD POTENTIAL FOR ENERGY SAVINGS, PROCEED TO STEP 4.

Step 4:  Conduct a Preliminary Building Assessment(s) on buildings that have good potential for energy savings.

  • School or health care facility selects an energy analyst from DEQ's requalified list.
  • School or health care facility contacts at least 2 analysts to negotiate the best price for the assessment.
  • DEQ commits to paying up to 50 percent of the assessment cost.
  • DEQ issues purchase order with the analyst for DEQ's share of cost.
  • School or health care facility issues purchase order/service agreement with the analyst for public schools or health care facility's share of cost. 
  • Analyst completes draft Preliminary Building Assessment(s) within public schools and health care facility's required timeline.
  • DEQ reviews draft assessment and suggests changes.
  • School or health care facility and DEQ jointly approve final Preliminary Building Assessment and make payments to analyst.

Step 5:  Upon completion of the audit, DEQ staff, the energy analyst, school or health care officials meet to discuss the Preliminary Building Assessment.  This review will include discussion of the following:

  • the identified facility improvements and need to prioritize.
  • whether a full-scale engineering analysis is needed before proceeding with energy improvements.
  • ways to finance an engineering analysis (if needed) and financing options for facility improvements.
  • ways to ensure persistence of savings.
  • a facility-specific action plan for implementing facility improvements.

IF A FULL-SCALE ENGINEERING STUDY IS NOT RECOMMENDED, PROCEED TO STEP 7.

Step 6:  Conduct a full-scale engineering study.

  • School or health care facility selects an energy analyst from DEQ's prequalified list.
  • School or health care facility negotiates the best price for the study.
  • Analyst completes draft study within the school's or health care facility's required timeline.
  • DEQ reviews draft study and suggests changes.

Step 7:  DEQ provides detailed information on financing options and projected cash flows given estimated project costs and potential energy cost savings from the Preliminary Building Assessment or engineering study.  Primary financing options include the Health Facility Authority, building reserve funds and, for county hospitals, the Board of Investments INTERCAP Loan Program.

Step 8:  School or health care facility selects best financing option for needed facility improvements and proceeds with the loan application process if necessary.

Step 9:  School or health care facility, with DEQ, reviews that various project implementation options such as performance contracting, project design and project management.

Step 10:  School or health care facility selects a project implementation approach and proceeds with proper procurement.  DEQ helps school or health care facility meet state procurement requirements.

Step 11:  School or health care facility oversees facility improvements projects.

Step 12:  School or health care facility realizes energy cost savings.

Revised  5/17/00