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Energy Conservation

APS is committed to minimizing its carbon footprint (carbon-based energy use) and emissions from its operations.

This is a pie graph stating the percentage of each fuel type used at APSThere are two main ways for us to reduce our carbon footprint: using less energy and looking for renewable energy opportunities. APS’ renewable energy efforts include:

  • Major maintenance and repair of geothermal heating/cooling system at Taylor Elementary School
  • Wakefield High School utilizes geothermal for heating and cooling, a 90 kW solar photovoltaic system, and solar thermal for domestic hot water
  • In total, APS currently has nine schools with solar arrays installed on the roof

Energy-Saving Tips

Arlington Public Schools is committed to reducing our energy usage and promoting energy and environmental awareness for our staff and students. In times of increasing budget constraints, saving energy offers us a win-win strategy – reducing our green house gas emissions and saving money. Here are some useful tips on how we can save energy at school and in your homes.

Heating and Cooling

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), you can save 5 to 15 percent per year on heating and cooling bills by turning the thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours. That’s a savings of as much as 1 percent for each degree if the setback period is eight hours long. Purchasing a programmable thermostat and setting back your temperatures when you are not at home saves money and prolongs the life of your equipment. For APS, reducing our heating and cooling usage by 5% would be equivalent to removing 1,724 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions. This is the same as the annual emissions from 338 vehicles or the energy used in 150 homes. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a useful tool from the to calculate green house gas emissions equivalencies.

Lighting

Lighting often accounts for 22% of the overall energy consumption in offices and facilities. Remembering to turn off lights will save money. The difference between operating a 75 watt bulb for 6 hours a day versus 24 hours a day is $49 annually. The costs quickly add up when we leave more than one light on. In schools, leaving 100 lights on results in $4,900 in wasted cost and energy usage. Switching to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) greatly reduce our energy usage and costs. An 18 watt CFL is equivalent to a 75 watt incandescent light bulb. Operating 100 18 watt CFLs 6 hours a day for a year would cost $365. An equivalent 75 watt configuration would cost $1,825 a year. So please remember to turn off lights when you leave the room and at the end of the day. Replace any old incandescent bulbs with a more energy efficient compact fluorescent.

Computer Power Management

Office equipment accounts for at least 26% of overall energy consumption and in some offices can account for over 40% of energy consumption. A computer with 2 LCD monitors uses on average 140 watts of energy. Leaving just one of these systems on 24/7 would cost $146.76/year. Contrary to beliefs, screen savers do not save energy and more graphically intense images actually use more energy. Power management (setting your computer and monitor on sleep or hibernate modes) is an extremely useful tool to use. By putting your computer system in sleep mode during the day when not in use and shutting down the system at night, you save money and also prolong the life of your computer equipment. According to EPA’s Energy Star, you can save up to $75 annually per computer if you shut down you computer and monitor every evening. Many operating systems now have power management features under their control panels and many list an Energy Star option.

Appliances – Refrigerators

The second largest user of electricity in homes is the refrigerator. Since we can not use our refrigerators less to save energy, the best way to save energy is to buy a more efficient model. Newer refrigerators are extremely efficient over pre-1986 models. According to the DOE, a 1986-era 18 c.f. fridge uses 1400 kWh a year, while a modern energy-efficient model uses only 350 kWh — a 75% reduction. At 11¢ kWh, trading in a pre-1986 fridge for a new efficient one would save about $116 a year in electricity costs.

Energy Use and Energy Report Cards

Elementary Schools


APS operates and maintains 25 elementary school buildings that operate well past school hours. Most of our schools provide after-school programs, and many of the schools are filled during the summer with camps and enrichment programs for our students and the broader community.

Site Energy Intensity 2019-23* and Energy Report Card (click image for PDF)

thumbnail of ES Energy Report Cards

Middle Schools


APS has six middle schools, two of which, Gunston and Jefferson, are joint facilities shared with the county which are used extensively by the community and operate 7 days a week. All our middle schools operate at least 12 hours a day and often on weekends to host community events, sports and camps.

Site Energy Intensity 2019-23* and Energy Report Card (click image for PDF)

thumbnail of MS EUI – FY19, FY22, FY23

High Schools


Arlington Public Schools has three high schools, one site that contains a high school/middle school program and our Shriver program, and a Career Center that hosts a multitude of programs. Our high schools are used extensively by students, staff and our community, and operate at least 12 hours a day and often on weekends to host community events, sports and camps.

Site Energy Intensity 2019-23* and Energy Report Card (click image for PDF)

thumbnail of HS Energy Report Cards

*What is site energy intensity?

Site energy intensity is defined as the amount of energy used at a site to include electricity and natural gas consumption divided by the gross square footage of a facility.

The report cards for individual buildings show information on Site Energy and Source Energy for the most recent 3 years. Site Energy is the energy used at the site which essentially assumes that the energy to make and deliver it to the site is 100% efficient. However, for coal and other forms of carbon based energy that is used to make electricity, the production and delivery of that electricity is not 100% efficient. For example, it takes roughly 3000 BTUs (British Thermal Units – energy in calories to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree centigrade) of combustion energy in coal to make 1000 BTUs of electricity from coal. The other 2000 BTUs are rejected at the electric power plant in the form of waste heat. Source energy is a measure of the energy value of the coal and other forms of energy that are used to make electricity. For the purposes of reporting realistic energy impact, especially the carbon impact, source energy is clearly the best measure.

Energy Star ratings for buildings are based on Source Energy (though the reported measure is often Site Energy because it is easier to determine). Please visit the EPA’s site for additional information.

Solar Schools

Through new construction projects and solar power purchase agreements (PPA’s), APS has installed photovoltaic arrays at 9 schools with 1 school currently under design and construction!

Our Solar Schools

School Solar Array Capacity (kW) Operational Date
Abingdon Elementary School 196 May 2022
Alice West Fleet Elementary School 582 February 2020
Cardinal Elementary School 371 Under Design & Construction
Discovery Elementary School 496 August 2016
Glebe Elementary School 1.1 2011
Jefferson Middle School 325 September 2023
Kenmore Middle School 576 May 2021
Tuckahoe Elementary School 36.5 October 2019
Wakefield High School 90 2013
Washington & Liberty High School 536 June 2021
solar panels at kenmore

Want to see if your school’s solar array is generating electricity right now?