EATONTOWN — This summer, the Eatontown Public Schools will begin construction as part of an Energy Savings Improvement Plan (ESIP) project.
The total cost of the project, approximately $5 million, will be funded through energy cost savings, according to a press release from the school district.
District administrators said the project will not have an impact on taxpayers. They said the work will result in more efficient and reliable heating, cooling and ventilation in all of the district’s classrooms and offices.
The ESIP project will be financed using savings in energy costs from the installation of solar panels and lighting upgrades, according to the press release.
District administrators said the money saved from these improvements will be invested in replacing all of the rooftop heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units in the district, which will provide new and more reliable HVAC systems and lead to further improvements of the district’s energy efficiency.
Construction will take place this summer and fall at times when education will not be affected, according to the press release.
District administrators have entered into an agreement with SSP Architectural Group, the firm which helped the Board of Education with the selection of the energy savings contractor and the design of the energy conservation measures to be included in the project.
DCO Energy, LLC, has been selected as the energy savings contractor, and that company has subcontracted with several firms to complete the project, according to the press release.
In addition, the school board has contracted with HESP Solar, LLC, for a 15-year solar power purchase agreement. The energy savings dollars associated with the agreement will contribute to the financing of the ESIP project, district administrators said.
Eatontown has one middle school and three elementary schools which serve approximately 960 students in preschool through eighth grade.