Cleaner Air and Efficient Schools in Brainerd

Students and teachers in Brainerd are breathing easier in their classrooms. They are more comfortable, more alert, and they are using energy more efficiently. All these benefits are the result of the Brainerd School District’s partnership with Johnson Controls.

To improve the air quality in the school, Johnson Controls, the Brainerd School District and the Minnesota Department of Education initiated a pilot project at the Nisswa School.

The goal of the pilot project was to bring the school into compliance with the ASHRAE standard adopted by the Minnesota Department of Education, which requires 15 cu. ft. of fresh air per occupant.

“It’s a real challenge for Minnesota schools to meet that standard,” said Jeff Schiltz, Educational Account Executive for Johnson Controls.

“A lot of Minnesota schools use univentilators — which make meeting even 5 cu. ft. of fresh air difficult,” he said.

“The District Administration and School Board are taking a proactive approach to indoor air quality,” Schiltz said. “They value a quality learning environment and how it makes a positive impact on the students ability to learn. They really embrace that.” Teachers and community members in Brainerd ranked “greater efficiency in building air quality” as the second highest priority in a survey about improvements and developments of school facilities and programs. The pilot program at Nisswa accommodated their concerns by incorporating a number of energy efficiency measures in with air quality improvements.

Planning for improvements began in the winter of 2002. The construction phase began that summer, and was completed by the time students returned in the fall. Throughout the project, Johnson Controls handled design, project management and secured funding for the $1.2 million pilot project.

A Johnson Controls Metasys energy management system, T8 lighting technology, heat recovery and a centralized ventilation system were only the beginning of the improvements at Nisswa.

The following is a summary of the energy efficiency improvements with respective utility company rebate received by the District:

o Heat Recovery Wheels $1,732 Xcel Energy

o Energy Efficient Lighting + Occupancy Sensors $2,480 Minnesota Power

o Energy Management System + Variable Speed Drives $14,210 Minnesota Power

Most of the cost savings that will be realized by increased energy efficiency will be in cost avoidance. Since the occupancy sensors were installed, lights are on in the school an average of 7 hours daily — down from an 8.5-hour average before the improvements. The centralized air system recovers heat that is created by lights, computers, and bodies in the building to greatly reduce the amount of heat input required to keep the building at a comfortable temperature.

If increasing the availability of fresh air and increasing energy efficiency weren’t enough, Johnson Controls also worked with the National Energy Foundation to develop an energy education curriculum for the school. At Nisswa, ‘Energy Action Patrol Teams’ are responsible for maintaining energy practices around the school.

“Kids go around and can write teachers a ticket for leaving their lights on or for other practices that are not conserving energy,” Schiltz said. “Brainerd has taken a proactive step to improve the learning environment and is doing it as efficiently as possible.”

For more information contact:
Jeff Schiltz, Johnson Controls
218-727-8996 ×220
Jeffrey.g.schiltz@jci.com