Trevor-Wilmot Consolidated

A new study by Sustainable Engineering Group shows that the new 65,000 sq ft building

addition to be located on the Trevor site will be highly energy efficient. The engineering report was prepared as part of Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy Program for New Construction and Technical Assistance. The goal of the program is to reduce the energy usage of buildings by at least 20% when compared to a comparable baseline building which is simply built to code. Engineers used the eQUEST program (the Quick Energy Simulation Tool), a 3-D building simulation program endorsed and distributed by the U.S. Department of Energy, to construct a model of the proposed addition with alternative energy-efficient options. The program considered building floorplan and geometry, building envelope properties, HVAC components, lighting design, occupancy schedules, and other factors.

The results? The simulation results show that the current design will save $27,165 (30.7%) per year in utility bills compared to a baseline building built to building codes. This will qualify our district for an incentive award from the Focus on Energy Program in the amount of $27,972 which will be awarded upon completion of the building addition project.

Board President Tom Steiner is delighted with the projected savings and the cash award. “Already the geothermal system is paying dividends! We will receive almost $28,000 by using geothermal heating/cooling, insulation, and other energy-saving measures.” He points out that “this benefit is in addition to the interest-free Qualified School Construction bonds” which the District plans to sell this summer.

The energy report recommends that the District consider purchasing even more efficient geothermal heat pumps. This would save an additional $2,376 in annual energy costs over the current design and would increase the incentive award by $4,598. Architect Clint Selle indicated that the District would list this option as a bid alternate in the bid package