Little Things Add Up to Big Savings in Poway

Poway Unified School District takes a common sense approach to energy efficiency. The district started with projects that were easy to implement and had significant returns. As a result, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) upgrades, lighting retrofits, and system controls were at the top of the list.



The district applied for, and received $2.1 million for fiscal year 2013-14 through Proposition 39, an initiative California voters approved in 2012 that closed a tax loophole and had rewarded businesses for moving jobs out of state. Now those tax dollars are being invested in our children, our schools and our environment.

For Poway Unified School District, this has meant new HVAC controls, LED lighting in classrooms and parking lots as well as a real-time dashboard to monitor energy usage across four campuses. The district estimates an annual energy savings of over $250,000 per year.

“This is a program that is successfully providing funding for school districts for energy efficiency projects that will ultimately pay back schools and taxpayers in real dollar savings over time and lower our use of energy, which is a wise environmental choice for our community and state,” said Michael Tarantino, Poway Unified School District director of facilities.

To see the list of approved energy expenditure plans by district, visit the Energy Commission’s Proposition 39 webpage and click on Energy Expenditure Plan list.