Fort Bend ISD receives Energy Star certifications

The Fort Bend Independent School District recently announced that 17 of its schools received Energy Star certifications.

The school is involved with several energy efficiency programs. Energy Star is a joint program of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy.

Its focus is on helping businesses and individuals save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Five elementary schools — Colony Bend, Dulles, Heritage Rose, Jones and Lantern Lane; three middle schools — Dulles, Hodges Bend and McAuliffe; and eight high schools — Austin, Bush, Dulles, Elkins, Kempner, Ridge Point, Travis and Willowridge received a certificate. The Ferndell Henry Center for Learning also received a certificate.

The school district also received energy efficient rebates that added up to $84,600 through the CenterPoint Energy Retro-Commissioning and SCORE program.

The CPE also helps schools tune-up major energy-consuming systems in commercial buildings and the Advanced Lighting program offers incentives to CPE customers to upgrade outdoor lighting fixtures with LED lighting and controls.

The measures helped the district save almost a million dollars in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.