State College Area School District will receive a state grant of $1,737,720 for energy-efficiency and environmental-sustainability measures in the renovations and new construction at Corl Street Elementary School.
The grant from the Commonwealth Finance Authority’s Alternative and Clean Energy (ACE) program was one of nine announced on Tuesday for educational and commercial projects statewide. The same grant was awarded in 2016 for the now-underway renovation and construction projects at Radio Park Elementary School and the new Spring Creek Elementary, which will combine Houserville and Lemont elementary schools in a new building at the Houserville site.
All three elementary school projects are expected to be completed by the fall of 2019.
“We’re very appreciative of the financial support for our efforts to reduce our energy and water consumption, lower our expenses and help the environment,” SCASD Superintendent Bob O’Donnell said in a statement. “We believe it’s important to promote and follow sustainable practices in our district-wide operations, and this grant definitely will help us meet that goal.”
The ACE grant is 10 percent — the maximum allowable — of the total $17.37 million cost for the Corl Street project. Most of the original building, constructed in 1952, will be torn down and rebuilt with the end result a 64,086-square foot school. The new grant will fund features including a high-efficiency geothermal HVAC system, LED lighting, an efficient thermal envelope, daylight sensors, and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
“Clean, affordable energy plays an important role when planning for the state’s energy future,” state Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, said in a news release. “I am pleased the Corl Street Elementary project will receive this funding as the project helps to meet that energy goal. By implementing energy efficiency features, the school district will save tax dollars and provide a better, more environmentally friendly facility for students and teachers.”
All three school projects are expected to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold status. Earlier this year the three projects received a combined $245,500 in grants through the state’s Solar Energy Program to support the purchase and installation of solar energy systems.
“Development of our energy infrastructure – whether through expanding access to natural gas, boosting the efficiency of buildings, or harnessing renewable energy resources like wind – are all vital to Pennsylvania’s economic health,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a release on Tuesday. “These projects approved today won’t just support our business sector, but it will also help residents by improving school buildings, enabling access to gas energy in homes, and creating jobs, bringing countless benefits to communities.”
