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Laguna Beach Unified outlines $19.5M Energy Master Plan to pursue carbon neutrality; staff proposes financing scenarios
Summary
District staff summarized a site‑by‑site Energy Master Plan estimating roughly $19.5 million for LED, solar and HVAC conversions to reach carbon neutrality, and presented financing options including $15M–$25M certificates of participation alongside expected IRA rebates of 30–40% for bundled projects.
The Laguna Beach Unified School District presented an Energy Master Plan update proposing campus‑level energy retrofits and electrification to help the district reach carbon‑neutral targets by about 2030.
District staff described a four‑step approach: reduce energy use through operations and controls; replace inefficient lighting and equipment with LEDs and modern controls; install solar photovoltaic systems and EV chargers; and replace natural‑gas HVAC and equipment with electric heat pumps where feasible.
Ryan and other staff walked trustees through site‑level proposals: Top of the World Elementary would add roughly 197 solar panels to an existing ~50 kW system; El Moro Elementary and Thurston Middle were shown with roughly 425 panels each (around 206 kW and 168 kW respectively); Laguna Beach High School was estimated at about 1,018 panels (about 337 kW). The warehouse and transportation yard included larger solar layouts to support bus‑charging infrastructure.
The consultant P2S’s rough cost estimate for the recommended work is about $19.5 million, with roughly $17 million tied to solar and mechanical conversions. Staff discussed financing options, including Certificates of Participation (COPs) in $15M, $20M and $25M scenarios, and noted the district’s triple‑A rating could yield favorable rates. The presentation emphasized that bundling solar and mechanical projects may make them eligible for Inflation Reduction Act rebates and incentives, with auditors estimating 30–40% potential returns for qualifying work, though rebates are reimbursement‑based and require committed funding up front.
Board members asked how rebate reimbursement works, whether projects could be staged, and how potential COP payments would affect the district’s annual facility repair and replacement program (FERP). Staff said COP payments would be front‑loaded into the capital program and would reduce annual FERP contributions by the COP payment amount but argued that long‑term utility savings and rebates could offset portions of the financing cost. They also described the need to plan charging infrastructure before purchasing electric buses.
Staff said next steps are to align proposed energy projects with the 10‑year facilities master plan, refine the project and financing list, and, if the board provides consensus, return to the board with an action item to pursue issuance of a COP. No action was requested or taken Thursday evening.
