INSIDE THIS ISSUE Business & Professional....................A8-9 Classifieds .............................................A22 Community Calendar ....................A24-27 Dining & Entertainment .......................A18 Mother’s Day...................................A13 Healthy Times ..........................................A7 Tee Times.........................................A14-15 Youth .......................................................A10
Serving Northwest Fort Wayne & Allen County
www.DupontTimes.com
See our ad on page A17 April 27, 2012
District energy program saving more than money By VALERIE CAVIGLIA pr@timespubs.com
While school corporations across the country continue to struggle with shrinking budgets, some have started to reap the benefits of cost-saving initiatives implemented to make district spending more efficient. Northwest Allen County Schools is not only seeing benefits of its own, it was awarded for one of its initiatives at a recent school board meeting. The district was recognized as an Energy Star Leader by the federal Energy Star program, an honor bestowed only upon the country’s most energy efficient schools. Actions taken by NACS to reduce its energy spending has not only made them appear more environmentally adept, it’s saving jobs. Bill Mallers, Northwest Allen County Schools business manager, said NACS partnered with Dallas-based Energy Education, who helped them implement a program to combat rising energy and utility costs in January 2010. With the help of consultants, NACS Energy Manager Dave Hey works with maintenance and other staff at their facilities to ensure best practices are used to reduce energy use. Consultants visit the district two to three times each month to walk the grounds and point out any opportunities for energy savings. “What we were doing was getting our heating and air systems on occupancy programming or scheduling,” Mallers said. “We worked with Energy Education engineers to maxi-
Photo by Valerie Caviglia
The head custodians from each of Northwest Allen County Schools’ 11 buildings have put into action the energy saving practices that have so far saved the district $1.9 million. Front row, pictured from left: Shaugn Shultz, Eel River Elementary; Neal Kronmiller, Arcola Elementary; Assistant Head Custodian Bert Baker, Carroll Freshman Center; Bob Messmann, Huntertown Elementary; Assistant Head Custodian Shane Kennedy, Carroll High School; Campus Manager Jeff Warner, Carroll High School. Back row, pictured from left: NACS Director of Buildings and Grounds Tom Schipper; NACS Energy Manager Dave Hey; Dan Ward, Perry Hill Elementary; Josh Schnepp, Carroll Middle School; Mike Moore, Maple Creek Middle School; Tim Berdelman, Cedar Canyon Elementary; Dave Garman, Hickory Creek Elementary. Not pictured: Brian Schlatter, Oak View Elementary. mize those types of things. That’s how the program really kicked off, was to look at our HVAC systems. From there, it was a total package on how we were using our energy and how we could eliminate or reduce the costs associated with that.” Mallers said the purpose of occupancy programming is to shut down HVAC systems in buildings like Carroll High School. The 600,000-square-foot facility was built to accomo-
Student applications flood pharmacy school By RICK FARRANT pr@timespubs.com
The Manchester College School of Pharmacy, expected to open this fall in Fort Wayne, has already received more than 450 applications from prospective students. It only expects to enroll 70 in the first year. The school also has received 240 queries from regional pharmacies interested in serving as sites for students’ experiential See PHARMACY, page A23
Photo by Rick Farrant
Construction work continues at the Manchester College School of Pharmacy, located near Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.
Inside: Find out what’s new at the zoo on page A20. Courtesy photo
date 2,800-3,000 occupants. To keep the HVAC system running when it was unoccupied or occupied by only a few people at one time was inefficient and costing the district valuable savings. “We don’t need a whole building to be heated or cooled when there is just one person there,” he said. “Electricity, heating and cooling, that’s like your biggest See ENERGY, page A22
826 Ewing Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Times Community Publications