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Facility consultants recommend geothermal, LED upgrades; board to post detailed Kaneland high school assessment
Summary
Allied Facility Partners presented a high-level facilities assessment recommending geothermal heating, LED lighting, mechanical upgrades and prioritized work at Kaneland High School; consultants said federal incentives and energy savings could offset upfront geothermal costs.
Allied Facility Partners presented the Kaneland Board of Education with a facilities assessment focused on Kaneland High School and related referendum projects, recommending mechanical-system replacements, LED lighting upgrades and a substantial geothermal component beneath parking lots to reduce long-term energy costs.
Doug McMahon, chief executive officer of Allied Facility Partners, told the board the firm used contractor-backed takeoffs rather than per-square-foot assumptions to price components more accurately and included items beyond the referendum’s initial scope where they judged it necessary. He said the assessment incorporated learning-environment factors — ventilation, CO2 levels, lighting temperature and noise — and that those elements can materially affect student concentration and performance.
McMahon explained the economics of geothermal and lighting upgrades: federal incentives that have become accessible to school districts can rebate a meaningful share of geothermal well-field costs and improve payback. "The energy savings is huge," he said, and he added that, for conservative modeling, Allied assumed roughly a 40 percent rebate on the geothermal well field in their estimates.
Concerns from board members and administrators centered on mechanical risks if the referendum failed. Alex Kunkel, a member of the Allied team, told the board one high-school boiler dates to 1958 and "pretty far down the road," and that lead time for large replacement equipment currently runs about 26 to 30 weeks. Kunkel and McMahon recommended building redundancy and considering pre-purchase strategies to lock prices if the district proceeds.
Allied said geothermal well fields could be placed beneath parking lots to avoid later demolition costs, and that geothermal systems tend to require lower long-term maintenance than traditional boilers. McMahon also described potential lighting rebates and the operational savings from LED and building-automation systems that enable demand-controlled ventilation.
Administrators said the presentation was a high-level overview and that Allied has produced a more extensive written report; that report will be shared with the board and posted publicly on the district website. The board had no action on the assessment at the meeting.
Ending: Allied presented a detailed analysis and recommended upgrades the consultants argue will improve learning conditions and reduce operating costs; the firm’s full assessment will be posted publicly for the community and used in referendum planning.
