PSA: That overheard comment about school HVAC systems got me thinking

I was at a teacher training last week in Austin and overheard two facilities guys talking about how they run the AC at 50% capacity on weekends and holidays. They said it saved the district about $12,000 a year just from one middle school. It made me realize I never think about the energy waste when buildings are half empty. So I started checking our school's thermostat schedule on Friday afternoons and adjusting it before I leave. Turns out the custodial staff didn't even know they could override the default settings. Has anyone else looked into their workplace or school's off-hours energy use? What did you find?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivan_mason24d ago

Wait, you mean the custodians didn't even know they could change the thermostat? That's wild, seems like a huge oversight by the district. I can't believe a simple schedule change saves twelve grand a year with zero effort.

the_susan1d ago

Push back a little here, @ivan_mason. Running an HVAC system at full blast during off hours does more than waste money, it strains the equipment and wears it out faster. Those $12,000 savings might look good on paper, but they could come right back in repair bills if the system cycles on and off too aggressively without proper programming. A smarter approach would be to let the building settle a few degrees but not turn the AC down to 50%, so you save some energy without risking humidity or freeze issues.

bennett.nora24d ago

Right, because obviously the custodial staff memorizing the thermostat manual was the top priority before this. But hey, twelve grand a year in savings with zero effort? That's basically free money just sitting in a control panel. Probably the best return on investment since someone figured out you can just unplug the vending machine at night.