Districts Awarded Energy Grants

The Evergreen school district scored $1.2 million in a third and final round of energy conservation competitive grants awarded Wednesday by the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Vancouver Public Schools also won $234,661 and Hockinson schools $60,000, as part of $7.6 million doled to 21 school districts in the latest round.

The money will fund jobs for energy-efficiency projects, including heating, ventilation, upgrade of controls, replacement of inefficient lighting and other building improvements.

In previous rounds of energy grants, Battle Ground Public Schools won $850,000 to upgrade lights and retrofit plumbing fixtures with low-flow devices, and Camas schools $68,130 for energy-efficiency upgrades.

The Stevenson-Carson district won $205,000 to spend on plumbing, lighting and HVAC changes.

Evergreen will use its new award to replace heating-ventilation-air conditioning rooftop units and to install new digital controls and lighting.

The Vancouver district plans to update lighting and lighting controls and make HVAC improvements, and Hockinson will improve lighting and HVAC equipment.

All dollars originate from the Washington state 2010 supplemental capital budget, which set aside $50 million each to OSPI and the state Department of Commerce for separate, competitive awards.

OSPI funded 80 projects in 64 school districts with its grants.