Schneider Electric tells Calhoun County board a $4.8–$5M pilot could cut utilities by more than $700,000 a year

Todd Smith, a representative of Schneider Electric, told the Calhoun County School Board that the firm had conducted walk‑throughs at every campus and identified districtwide opportunities to reduce utility costs. “My name is Todd Smith, from Schneider Electric,” he said as he opened the company’s presentation. The firm reported the district currently spends about $2,800,000 a year on utilities and estimated the districtwide cost at roughly $1.42 per square foot.

Larry, a Schneider Electric engineer, described the energy‑use index (EUI) analysis and the specific measures the company recommends, including expanded LED retrofits and building automation systems. The presenters said some schools—Pleasant Valley High, Alexandria Elementary and others—showed especially high potential for savings. “We think that there could be a significant reduction. Over $700,000 a year, we think we could reduce from the utility and operations budget,” Todd Smith said, adding the company uses multi‑year utility data going back to 2019.

Schneider proposed a phased pilot targeted at the highest‑impact campuses, with an estimated pilot cost between $4.8 and $5.0 million and projected savings of $7 million to $7.5 million over the contract term. The firm said the performance is guaranteed by statute and that it has previously issued annual performance guarantees on similar K–12 projects. Board members asked whether automation and lighting investments could be coordinated with planned renovations; Schneider said systems can be implemented now and are compatible with future renovation work.

The presentation closed with no formal board action requested; Schneider representatives offered to remain after the meeting for follow‑up questions.