Charter Oak Unified School District Brings Energy Efficiency to Life in Phase Two of Project with Schneider Electric

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• USA - English

COVINA, Calif., Dec. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Charter Oak Unified School District (COUSD), located just outside of metropolitan Los Angeles, has announced the kickoff of phase two of an energy efficiency project with Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation. This phase will provide much needed upgrades to the kitchen temperature controls and buildings automation systems (BAS) and comes on the heels of a successful lighting implementation that was part of phase one.

Prior to working with Schneider Electric, COUSD faced challenges with deferred maintenance and minimal funding for infrastructure improvements. For more than a decade, the maintenance team has been tasked with maintaining an outdated controls system. The control systems in kitchens have been unreliable and kitchen staff were seeing a large amount of food spoilage because of outdated temperature sensors and burnt out lamps. Additionally, due to the age of the systems many of the spare parts for replacement or updating are no longer available. The school district turned to Schneider Electric for a solution to rectify these issues and provide round the clock monitoring of controls.

"Working with Schneider Electric is giving us the confidence we need to have fully operational facilities that can ensure efficiency and safety for our faculty and students," said Dr. Mike Hendricks, superintendent of COUSD. "Having a partner with this level of experience can give us a near guarantee our facilities meet the expectations of our community, now and in the future. We're excited to kick off the second phase of this project with its team after a successful first phase."

As part of the first phase, the school district received updated exterior lighting for a football field, parking lots and other building exteriors. These upgrades were well received by the community who frequently use the football field for local games.

During the second phase, Schneider Electric will be making improvements to control systems in the kitchens and BAS. Specifically, the schools will receive:

• New temperature sensors for walk-in freezers and walk-in refrigerators across the school district to avoid costly food spoilage and waste.
• Connections from the temperature systems to the existing BAS.
• Remote messaging alerts via email or SMS text from the BAS if a refrigerator or freezer temperatures rise above a pre-set value for a pre-determined amount of time.

"COUSD is facing similar challenges to schools across the country and is taking action. The district is transforming its practices through sustainable initiatives, in-turn providing better facilities for its faculty and staff, while being as environmentally friendly as possible," said Tammy Fulop, vice president, Schneider Electric. "It is apparent COUSD is passionate about providing its community with the best facilities available, and we are thrilled to build on the outcome of our exterior lighting project, to take on this next phase."

In addition to the facilities improvements, the project will make a significant environmental impact by saving 744,162 kWh, which is equivalent to removing 96 cars from the road.

Over the past 25 years, Schneider Electric has successfully implemented more than 675 ESPC projects across the nation, saving its clients nearly $2 billion. This project delivery method helps publicly funded entities make capital improvements over longer payback periods and offers many long-term benefits such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection.

For more information on how Schneider Electric helps K-12 schools tackle energy efficiency, please visit http://www.enable.schneider-electric.com or contact your local Schneider Electric representative.

About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software. In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency. We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.
http://www.schneider-electric.us

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SOURCE Schneider Electric