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NEWS RELEASE: San Diego Unified School District Recognized as 2017 Energy Champion for Achievements in Energy Efficiency

NEWS RELEASE: San Diego Unified School District Recognized as 2017 Energy Champion for Achievements in Energy Efficiency
Posted on 05/30/2017

The district received the award at SDG&E's 12th annual Energy Showcase

SAN DIEGO--San Diego Gas & Electric recently presented San Diego Unified School District with a 2017 Energy Champion award for its outstanding results in energy efficiency, sustainability and conservation. San Diego Unified was lauded for its continued commitment to implementing innovative technologies and smart solutions that help cut costs and protect the planet. The district received the award at SDG&E's 12th annual Energy Showcase event on May 17.

“Our district is unique in that it has made a commitment to dreaming big and thinking out of the box to find solutions for a sustainable future,” said Superintendent Cindy Marten. “I'm excited to see how we can build on our legacy as a sustainable leader to ensure that we maximize opportunities in this area.”

“San Diego is a leader in innovation and sustainability and every year our customers continue to raise the bar for energy efficiency and conservation, reducing their carbon footprint and making an impact on our region,” said Scott Crider, vice president of Customer Service for SDG&E. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with our business customers to develop even more ways to help them save energy and money through innovative technologies, incentives and rebates.”

According to Darin Vey, energy utilities program supervisor, some of the reasons San Diego Unified School District was selected for this award are:

  • More than 20,000 interior LED lights installed with rebates exceeding $1.9 Million
  • Zero Net Energy pilot program at Vista Grande Elementary School
  • Savings by Design participation with 13 sites over the last three years funded by Props. S & Z
  • 39 existing solar installations (4.52MW) and 12 additional solar planned projects (5.3MW) over the next 24 months
  • Recycling program diversion and annual EDCO Challenge
  • Water savings results of 131 million gallons in Fiscal Year 2016
  • Participation in the 2016 SDG&E-sponsored student energy completion (with the district in winning almost every category)
  • Participation in the SDG&E Major Customer Advisory Panel
  • Application to “Power Your Drive” program for EV charging stations
  • Electric Bus Program consideration
  • Zero Net Energy Visionary District award earned from Green California Schools
  • Construction of two LEED-certified buildings
  • District climate action plan to reduce energy use and greenhouse gases in conjunction with the “Dream Big” sustainability initiative

San Diego Unified School District has a long history of being proactive in promoting solar energy, conserving energy and water, recycling, and pursuing other green initiatives.

“Not only does sustainability have a direct impact on our district as a whole, but our efforts directly impact our students' future,” Marten said. “We hope these efforts will inspire our students to apply sustainable practices to their personal lives, and perhaps pursue careers that support sustainability.”

Link to video featuring San Diego Unified as Energy Champion: https://youtu.be/xNttWFCfL7c