2013 ENERGY STAR® Award Application
Partner of the Year – Energy Management
Section 1 – Management Practices:
Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) is the fourth largest school district in the
Commonwealth of Virginia. LCPS has been, and is expected to continue to be, one of the fastest
growing school systems in the nation for many years. LCPS owns and operates over 9.6 million
square feet of buildings and provides instruction to over 68,000 students at 13 high schools, 14
middle schools, 53 elementary schools as well as a technology center and an alternative
education school. LCPS believes that having a commitment to healthy, safe, and
environmentally friendly schools is an essential part of achieving a climate for success.
The LCPS Energy & Environment Program is well aligned with superior energy
management best practices as they are described in the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy
Management. LCPS began in May of 1993 by developing a program in partnership with
Cenergistic, formerly known as Energy Education, Inc. The program is centered on a
commitment to continuous improvement focused on conservation: individual people’s efforts to
reduce energy use; and efficiency: the technologies and equipment which assist those people in
their efforts. The LCPS program recognizes that people use energy, not buildings. It is people
and their relationship to technology that allows LCPS to achieve success.
The LCPS Energy & Environment Team includes all students, staff, parents and other
community members who make up the totality of individuals who utilize LCPS sites. In 1998,
LCPS added the EPA to the team by becoming an ENERGY STAR Buildings Program Partner.
Securing the interest and commitment of all LCPS facility users is a major initiative in LCPS,
one in which the ENERGY STAR program has been a significant factor. The partnership
agreement summarizes the advantages of partnership with the EPA in the following excerpt:
“ENERGY STAR Buildings represents a truly exciting opportunity for leaders in all sectors of
the community to demonstrate a commitment to preventing air pollution, while saving money for
their organizations. We believe this partnership proves that government and industry can work
together to improve the quality of the air we breathe, enhance the nation's energy security, and
increase its competitiveness.”
The ENERGY STAR program has many tools that have been utilized to focus on the
environmental and economic benefits of conservation efforts as well as increasing the efficiency
of building systems. A valuable feature of ENERGY STAR is the recognition and reliability that
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is associated with utilizing the national symbol for energy efficiency in the United States. The
school system’s commitment can easily be recognized in the LCPS Energy & Environment
Team mission statement: “The LCPS Energy & Environment Team will reduce the use of
energy throughout the school system without impacting the educational environment while
ensuring efficient and effective stewardship of public resources.”
Assessment of performance is the key to any successful energy management program.
LCPS began its program prior to the creation of Portfolio Manager, therefore the district had to
find an appropriate tool that normalizes data for weather and includes changes in building
characteristics. A simple spreadsheet that tracks billing data is not a comprehensive tool.
FASER (now EnergyCAP) was selected as the software to perform this central function. Good
Steward Software produces EnergyCAP. The following paragraph is an excerpt from the Good
Steward Internet site explaining the Measurement and Verification capabilities of EnergyCAP.
The U.S. Department of Energy funded an effort to develop a written standard to define and
describe various M&V options. The standard, called the International Performance
Measurement & Verification Protocol (IPMVP) was U.S. Department of Energy document
DOE/GO-102002-1554. DOE has passed the maintenance and distribution of this document to a
non-profit organization called the Efficiency Valuation Organization. EnergyCAP is considered
an "Option C--Whole Building" method of M&V under this standard.
For many years EnergyCAP was the only M&V tool utilized by LCPS. Although this
tool is effective and appropriate, it does not allow for benchmarking of facilities outside of the
school system. LCPS use of Portfolio Manager began in 2008. Portfolio Manager provided the
district with the ability to compare its schools to other schools across the nation. The use of the
US Department of Energy Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey data to make
comparisons in Portfolio Manager brought a new level of legitimacy to the efforts of the school
system and a broader perspective when analyzing energy use at its facilities.
Portfolio Manager, used in conjunction with EnergyCAP allows for deep and meaningful
analysis of energy cost, consumption and environmental impact that is continually used to
enhance LCPS efforts to reduce energy use and be environmentally friendly. In 2012, LCPS
began to utilize Portfolio Manager to allow for public disclosure of energy data. Due to being
named “Partner of the Year” and earning the title of “Sustained Excellence,” there has been a lot
of interest focused on LCPS energy data. Architects, engineers, energy managers, governmental
officials, and others have reviewed the data for various purposes. To educate the wider
community, LCPS allows interested parties to access Portfolio Manager. To view the LCPS
data, please login with the following credentials: Username: lcpsguest; Password: readonly.
The scope of the LCPS Energy & Environment Program is defined by the size of the
school system. All facilities and all facility users are included in the program. LCPS School
Board Policy §6-42 ends with the following statement which demonstrates the institutional
dedication of LCPS: “The judicious use of all energy and water using systems of each campus
will be the responsibility of all Loudoun County Public Schools facility users and all are
expected to ensure that an efficient posture is maintained on a daily basis.” The potential for
improvement is simple; all LCPS schools can one day earn an ENERGY STAR and ultimately
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be carbon-neutral facilities. As LCPS moves towards that end, the goal is to constantly use less
energy than in the past while continuing to provide a climate for success for all students. The
action plan for the LCPS Energy & Environment Program includes the following items:
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Develop energy savings habits within all levels of facility users.
Implement energy saving programs and practices.
Evaluate and utilize the most effective energy providers and rates.
Review and authenticate energy usage and billing.
Facilitate timely processing of all utility bills.
Research and recommend energy efficient methods and materials.
Generate an attitude and culture of energy savings.
Represent LCPS interests in committees and organizations.
Provide data and counsel regarding energy usage and cost.
Observe and report areas for energy use reduction.
Coordinate energy savings efforts with all departments within LCPS.
Incorporate energy accounting software to maintain clear and accurate records.
Develop and maintain professional and industry contacts.
Seek program improvement through staff development.
Implement ENERGY STAR program.
Coordinate LCPS participation in regional energy & environmental programs.
LCPS staff and students, as well as all other facility users are expected to be wise energy
consumers while in LCPS facilities. With ENERGY STAR as a partner, support for this concept
has been brought to the next level. Community use represents over one million annual hours of
building operation outside of the regular school day within LCPS. The ENERGY STAR
continues to be a rallying point for communicating the importance of reducing energy use across
multiple disciplines. This common platform increases the ability for all LCPS staff as well as
members of the public to act in harmony with one another. ENERGY STAR unites the
community and the School System in a strategic way that serves the common good.
In 2008, the initial year of benchmarking in the Portfolio Manager, LCPS had seven
buildings which earned an ENERGY STAR. The awards presented to the Principals of these
first schools created intense interest from other schools. The following year, twenty five
ENERGY STAR labels were earned. In the third year, there were thirty six; and in the fourth
year, there were thirty eight. In 2012, forty two schools achieved an ENERGY STAR
designation. In its first five years of benchmarking LCPS has successfully earned an ENERGY
STAR at more than half of its schools. To accomplish this, LCPS has utilized many ENERGY
STAR tools and resources:
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ENERGY STAR Partnership: The ENERGY STAR Buildings Partnership clearly
communicates that our organization is committed to the effective stewardship of public
resources, both environmental and financial. LCPS has volunteered to take part in addressing
the national challenge of eliminating wasteful energy use. The results of participation have been
impressive and have improved the existing LCPS Energy and Environment Program.
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Guidelines for Energy Management: The guidelines are foundational and clearly illustrate
the fundamentals of any successful program. LCPS continues to keep its commitment, assess
its performance, focus on its goals, implement its action plan, evaluate its progress, and
recognize its achievements. The guidelines keep everyone on track and moving in the right
direction.
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New Building Design Guidance: The inclusion of this guidance throughout the entire design
process is an integral part of ensuring that new buildings are as designed to be as energy
efficient as possible. LCPS School Board Policy §6-41which addresses new construction
ends with the following statement which clarifies the importance given to the ENERGY
STAR program as it relates to new construction: “Facility operations and systems
performance shall be monitored, measured and verified via the EPA Energy Star Program.”
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Portfolio Manager: LCPS started utilizing this tool in the spring of 2008 and currently has
data for all 92 LCPS facilities with a history of energy use going back to 1993. In addition,
LCPS has created a “view only” set of access credentials so we can easily share data in
Portfolio Manager.
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Target Finder: LCPS prototype school plans go through the Target Finder process as part of
their evolution. Architectural & Engineering firms working with LCPS have embraced the
use of the Target Finder tool and it has become influential in the energy efficient design of
new LCPS construction projects. Using the ENERGY STAR process, the Target Finder tool
and designing buildings to earn the ENERGY STAR is a compelling and intelligent process.
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Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR: All LCPS new construction projects since 2010 have
been evaluated by the Target Finder tool for new construction design. Thus far, six schools
have earned the official title of being “Designed to earn the ENERGY STAR.” They are:
Lunsford MS (84), Douglass ES (88), Champe HS (86), Discovery ES (94), Moorefield
Station ES (94), and Trailside MS (90.) The last three were submitted in April of 2012.
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ENERGY STAR Qualified Products and Procurement: LCPS currently has a practice of
purchasing ENERGY STAR appliances whenever they can fulfill the program requirement
for that application. This is currently listed in design specifications.
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ENERGY STAR Online Training: In 2012, LCPS participated as presenters in the
September Partner Web Conference on Behavioral Based Strategies. In addition, the
recorded topic of Energy Auditing for the K12 Student which LCPS presented on December
7, 2010 has continued to be used extensively.
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ENERGY STAR Program Development: LCPS has worked to develop the ENERGY STAR
program in many arenas, including: The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
(MWCOG), The Virginia Energy Purchasing Governmental Association (VEPGA), the
Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME), the Virginia School Plant
Managers Association (VSPMA) and the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE):
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o In 2010, LCPS actively promoted the benefits of statewide use of Portfolio
Manager. LCPS efforts resulted in VEPGA setting up a Master Account and
advocating its use within its entire membership of over 180 municipal entities.
o In 2012, based on presentations from LCPS and the EPA, the MWCOG action
plan is being revised in two ways:
 One item which used to read “80% of jurisdictions track and benchmark
energy performance in all government buildings” now reads “80% of
jurisdictions track and benchmark energy performance in all government
buildings and participate in a regional EPA Portfolio Manager Master
Account.”
 Another item referring to “energy efficient appliances” now states “energy
efficient appliances must be, at minimum, ENERGY STAR rated.”
o In 2012, LCPS facilitated the organization of a WebEx conference with EPA
representatives and representatives of the Virginia DMME to consider Portfolio
Manager as the basis of a statewide benchmarking initiative. In addition, LCPS
shared its Portfolio Manager account with DMME to demonstrate the power of
the tool and allow DMME to use the data as it considers how to move forward.
o In 2010, LCPS presented to the Virginia School Plant Managers Association. at
their annual meeting to encourage participation in ENERGY STAR. Since that
time, many members have become partners. VSPMA continues to pursue
benchmarking data and LCPS continues to promote Portfolio Manager. The most
recent communications on this topic were on October 16, 2012.
o In 2013, LCPS has set up a tour of an ENERGY STAR labeled data center in
partnership with America Online (the data center owner) for the National Capital
Chapter of the AEE. In 2011, LCPS arranged for an AEE tour of Lunsford MS,
the first LCPS building to be “Designed to Earn ENERGY STAR.”
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ENERGY STAR Leaders: On May 7, 2012, LCPS submitted its ENERGY STAR Leaders:
Top Performer documentation as the LCPS Portfolio Manager average energy performance
rating has exceeded 75. LCPS received a 10% Leader recognition in 2009. The ability to
track year-to-year progress in the leaders account has been motivational and has inspired the
school system to strive for greater year to year gains.
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ENERGY STAR Label: LCPS has 47 buildings that have earned an ENERGY STAR Label
for at least one year. Progressing from 2008 when seven buildings achieved the ENERGY
STAR recognition to 42 buildings in 2012 shows the power of recognition to persuade
individuals to work towards the goal of reducing energy use. As of the writing of this
application, there are 211 K-12 schools in Virginia that have earned an ENERGY STAR.
Forty two of those sites (over 21%) are LCPS buildings. In Virginia, only 66 K-12 schools
have earned an ENERGY STAR in multiple years; 41 of those (over 62%) are LCPS schools.
Furthermore, only 11 K-12 schools in Virginia have earned five or more ENERGY STAR
ratings; five of those (over 45%) are LCPS buildings.
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Building Profiles & Leaders’ Stories: Building profiles associated with ENERGY STAR
labeled buildings allow LCPS to consider the approach taken by other building owners and
operators as well as highlight the successes of LCPS buildings. The same can be said for the
Leaders’ Stories. These stories can be memorable and instructional.
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ENERGY STAR Publications: “Take Your Green to Work,” “Horton Hears a Who,”
ENERGY STAR magnets, note pads, and lapel pins as well as marketing documents such as
“Did You Know,” “Fast Facts,” and “Grow with ENERGY STAR” and the five
downloadable ENERGY STAR posters are all materials that The LCPS Energy &
Environment Team has used to communicate the ENERGY STAR Program, inspire program
participation, and spark interest in learning more.
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ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year: The ENERGY STAR 2010 & 2011 Partner of the
Year Awards as well as the 2012 Sustained Excellence Award all represent a strong
statement of support from the EPA. To be recognized as a leader amongst peers on a
national level is very powerful. Striving to repeat the honor of being recognized in this way
is a clear goal that has been inspired by the successful ability of LCPS to seamlessly integrate
the ENERGY STAR tools into its operations at every level.
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ENERGY STAR Master Account Sharing: LCPS firmly believes that a Master Account
allows participants to make compelling comparisons of building performance and will lead to
greater gains for cooperating organizations. By encouraging and advocating the use of this
tool to VEPGA, MWCOG, DMME, and VSPMA, LCPS is leading by example and helping
to bring widespread acceptance and utilization of ENERGY STAR resources to our peers.
Section 2 – Organization-wide Improvements:
The EPA Partner of the Year Comparative Energy Performance Report for the current period
ending August 2012 indicates the following organization-wide improvements have been
accomplished during the past year:
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A total site electric use reduction of 2,237,429 kWh
A total site natural gas use reduction of 308,864 Therms
These energy use reductions can be converted to several environmental metrics using The EPA
Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator found at: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energyresources/calculator.html#results. Below are a few of the equivalencies:
Use
Reduction
Type
Electric
Natural Gas
TOTAL
Metric
Tons
of CO2
1,543
1,544
172.8
Annual greenhouse gas
emissions from (X)
passenger vehicles
303
303
606
Carbon sequestered
annually by (X) acres of
pine or fir forests
329
329
658
CO2 emissions from the
energy use of (x) homes
for one year
134
134
268
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In addition to the environmental impacts there are economic impacts as well. Based on
EnergyCAP data, the LCPS average unit costs for electricity and natural gas for fiscal year 2012
(July 2011-June 2012.) are $0.095/kWh and $1.1143/Therm:
Energy Type (Unit)
Site Electric Use (kWh)
Site Natural Gas Use (Therms)
12 month use
ending 8/2011
99,066,098
1,677,351
12 month use
ending 8/2012
96,828,669
1,368,487
Change
Savings
-2,237,429
-308,864
$212,555.75
$34,4167.15
Besides reducing both the use of
electricity and the use of natural gas, and the
related environmental and economic benefits
that go along with those reductions, there are
other key indicators of success which can be
described. The additional ENERGY STAR
labels earned by LCPS sites (from 7 in 2008 to
42 in 2012) and the increased average energy
performance rating increasing from a 54 in
August of 2004 to a 76 in August of 2012, as
demonstrated in the chart to the right, are both
good examples of such indicators.
LCPS also uses EnergyCAP to keep track of energy use and cost reductions as well as
environmental impacts that have been tracked since the inception of the LCPS program during
the 1993-1994 school year. Portfolio Manager does not allow for a base year prior to 2000,
therefore EnergyCAP is used when making an analysis of program impacts from efforts that
occurred prior to the year 2000. Below is summary data produced by EnergyCAP.
The cumulative dollar savings of over $47 million (equivalent to hiring over 1000 first
year teachers) is significant to the taxpayer in Loudoun County. The LCPS Energy and
Environment Team motto may explain it best: “Every dollar that pays an unnecessarily high
energy bill could be spent for a much better purpose – teaching children.” In addition, the
cumulative emission reduction of over 1.8 billion metric tons of CO2 is significant on a global
scale. LCPS can be proud of the difference it has made.
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Section 3 – Promoting and Communicating Success:
LCPS believes that reducing energy use requires that everyone be disciplined in the judicious use
of resources. The financial and environmental benefits of exercising conservation habits will be
assured when everyone takes disciplined action and accepts personal accountability for the
energy impacts of their decisions. To ensure that this culture of conservation is communicated to
all, the LCPS Energy & Environment Team conducts numerous presentations within and outside
of the school system.
The ENERGY STAR, the success of everyone’s efforts, and LCPS partnerships are always
featured points that are promoted to encourage all LCPS facility users to take an active role in
energy conservation. LCPS focuses not only on internal promotion and communication, but has
moved on to larger audiences in its communication efforts. Supplemental materials will reflect a
sampling of some of the strongest examples of LCPS promoting the partnership with the EPA.
Below is a list of some of the efforts and venues wherein LCPS communications about
ENERGY STAR have occurred and/or ENERGY STAR materials were presented. Many of the
items represent ongoing LCPS practices that occur regularly. The majority of the items listed
occurred in 2012. Items from prior years are included when they are considered as having
continued significance or influence.
Internal
• Faculty meetings at schools
• ENERGY STAR Label award ceremonies (district-wide and at individual schools)
• Staff development including ENERGY STAR at new teacher orientation, as well as inservice presentations for custodians, kitchen personnel, teachers, and all others
• Student presentations and assemblies furnished by the Energy & Environment Program
• Energy Awareness month displays
• Presentations to PTA groups
• Environmentally Friendly Practices posters featuring ENERGY STAR Partnership
• School signs & newsletters
Local
• County of Loudoun Green Business Challenge – Green Gala
• Earth Day @ Loudoun
• Hillsboro Farmers Market
• Presentation to Loudoun Chamber of Commerce by LCPS Superintendent
• Painting Purcellville Green
• Coordination of LCPS building use with The County of Loudoun Department of Parks,
Recreation and Community Services
• Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts presentations
• Loudoun Times and Leesburg Today newspaper articles
State
• Virginia Association of School Business Officials
• Virginia School Plant Managers Association
• Virginia Energy Purchasing Governmental Association
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Virginia Governmental Finance Officers Association
Virginia Governor’s Conferences on Energy & Education – ENERGY STAR tools
Virginia School Boards Association & VSBA Green Schools Challenge
Contacted the Governor as well as state Senators and the Congressmen which represent our
district inviting their participation in LCPS ENERGY STAR awards presentations
Regional
• National Capital Chapter Association of Energy Engineers – ENERGY STAR tools & tours
• Television news report videos on LCPS website
• Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments – Master Account Sharing
• Climate Energy & Environmental Policy Committee - MWCOG
• Energy Advisory Committee – MWCOG
• 2012 Green Ribbon Schools Applications for: Cedar Lane ES, Liberty ES, Forest Grove ES
• LCPS Annual Report
National
• Construction Owners Association of America
• Cenergistic October 2009 & 2011 National Training Conferences
• EPA ENERGY STAR national press release & print advertisement campaign
• ENERGY STAR Recognitions - Leaders, Labels, 2010 & 2011 Partner of the Year, and 2012
Sustained Excellence
• Portfolio Manager Brainstorming Session Participation
• ENERGY STAR Webinar presenters – “Facility Energy Auditing for the K12 Student” &
“Behavioral Based Strategies”
• ENERGY STAR National Building Competition – Aldie ES
• NSPRA “National School Public Relations Association” 2012 Golden Achievement Award
for the 2012 LCPS ENERGY STAR Public Service Announcement
• Contacted the President of the United States, the US Senators and Congressmen which
represent our district, and the Administrator of the EPA inviting their participation in LCPS
ENERGY STAR awards presentations
• Reposting of LCPS ENERGY STAR PSA by Plymouth-Canton Public Schools in Michigan
Worldwide
• The Association of Energy Engineers 33rd Annual World Energy Engineering Congress
• Association of Energy Engineers national website including local ENERGY STAR tour
• Inclusion of ENERGY STAR logo and Internet Links on LCPS Internet site
• Inclusion of ENERGY STAR information on individual School Internet sites
• Video Public Service Announcements – Featuring LCPS Students – on LCPS Internet Site
• Use of the ENERGY STAR program and Portfolio Manager was advocated with the
American International School in Muscat, Oman through an invitation for LCPS to
investigate the potential to improve operational efficiencies at the school
Any questions or requests for additional information should be addressed to:
The LCPS Energy & Environment Team: eeteam@lcps.org (571) 252-2960
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