Highlands district reports about 13% drop in projected energy costs after audits and scheduling changes

The Highlands County School Board heard an energy update on district utility spending from Edwin Delgado, the district’s manager of energy and utility, who said the district’s proactive measures have produced early savings.

Delgado told the board the district’s total energy expenditure for 2024 was approximately $3,430,000 and the two most expensive months were February and November because of heating and cooling demand. He said spending through March 2025 totaled a little over $659,000 and that the district projects yearly energy costs for 2025 of about $2,850,000.

The presentation framed the difference as a roughly $185,000 reduction — about 13% — from 2024 to the 2025 projection. "We are on track to spend roughly $2,850,000 which will result in a projected saving of $185,000," Delgado said. He attributed the improvement to a districtwide energy audit program, weekly energy audits at schools, AC scheduling for holidays and events, LED lighting rollouts in partnership with facilities, and regular HVAC filter maintenance.

Delgado described the district’s process for projecting 2025 spending: combining actual spending through March with projected costs for April through December based on the prior six months of data. He said average monthly energy costs in 2024 were a little over $258,000 and that early 2025 months averaged about $220,000.

Board members responded positively to the report. The superintendent thanked Delgado and district leadership for the update and said the board looks forward to reinvesting savings into schools.

Delgado closed by thanking facilities staff for cooperation and asking for continued board support for the energy-management initiative.