Katy ISD operations leaders told trustees on July 28 that utility costs have fallen compared with 2018 even as the district added building space and new campuses, a result of central-plant optimization, HVAC and lighting upgrades, continuous commissioning and participation in rebate programs.

Presenters Ted Bierling, chief operations officer, and Nathan Fuchs, senior executive director of operations, said the district reduced total utility expense from roughly $18 million in 2018 to about $16.08 million in the most recent reporting year while square footage increased from about 13.5 million square feet to roughly 16.5 million.

Key actions and results the operations team described:
- Central-plant and component replacements, preventative maintenance and continuous building commissioning to preserve designed efficiency.
- LED lighting projects and glazing/roofing work tied to bond-funded renovations.
- Participation in utility-rebate programs that have returned roughly $4.2 million since 2017; some programs provide monthly credits, others come as periodic checks.
- A locked electricity contract (REP rate) at about 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour through May 2027; staff noted a 1-cent-per-kilowatt-hour change would equate to roughly $1.63 million in annual cost exposure.

The presenters described future priorities including additional electric and water metering to manage peak demand, further LED retrofits on remaining campuses, and irrigation improvements. Trustees pressed staff about whether the district can seek employee-rate discounts from energy providers because of its large purchasing volume; staff said they will raise the idea with their energy consultant.

Bierling summed up the practical objective: "Every single dollar that we save goes back to the classroom," he said, and stressed that most efficiency work is done without changing occupant comfort. The operations team said campus retrofits and bond-funded replacements of end-of-life equipment are essential to maintain savings as the district grows.