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Emporia board authorizes investment-grade audit with Train US to evaluate HVAC and energy upgrades
Summary
The Emporia School Board selected Train US, Inc. and authorized a project development agreement for an investment-grade audit under KSA 75-37,125; Train presented planning-level scenarios including a roughly $20.4 million full-district HVAC/LED/controls scenario and discussed potential federal incentives and financing approaches.
The Emporia School Board authorized an investment-grade audit with energy services company Train US, Inc. at its June 10 meeting, voting 7-0 to select the firm under KSA 75-37,125 and to authorize a project development agreement through the TIPS cooperative purchasing system.
Kevin Ward of Train led the presentation, saying the firm mapped district HVAC assets using 3D modeling, benchmarked energy use intensity (EUI) against ASHRAE standards, and ran scenario analyses. Train presented a high-level planning estimate of approximately $20.4 million to replace HVAC equipment past expected service life across district facilities with LEDs and controls optimization in a multi-phased approach; presenters said more precise costs would be delivered after the investment-grade audit.
Train explained the energy performance contracting process, including guaranteed energy savings and owner control over project scope, and described potential federal incentives available under recent federal measures. Staff discussed financing options, noting internal conversations about using bond premium proceeds for part of any project while reserving funds to manage mill rate promises; Piper Sandler was referenced as part of prior financing discussions.
Board members asked about Train’s local presence and response times; Train said it maintains offices in Witchaw and Lanexa and has technicians covering the region, with travel times to Emporia roughly an hour. Train said it has executed roughly $300 million of similar projects in Kansas, citing multiple school districts and university projects as examples.
A board member moved to select Train US, Inc. as the district’s energy services company and to authorize a project development agreement for an investment-grade audit via TIPS; the motion passed 7-0.
Staff said this authorization does not approve construction projects; it funds a detailed technical and financial audit to provide firm costs and savings before the board would consider any installation contract.
