The Kent School District has achieved $1.3 million in cost savings in 19 months since forming a strategic alliance with Cenergistic, a national energy conservation company, which will present its Energy Excellence Award during the school board meeting Wednesday, Oct. 9.

“Kent School District has achieved success by consistently implementing the organizational behavior-based approach to energy conservation and maintaining productive efforts at all levels of the organization. The superintendent and board, along with other administration, faculty, and staff members are to be commended for clearly fulfilling their commitment to being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and the environment,” said Dr. William S. Spears, Chairman and Founder of Cenergistic.

As part of the program, Energy Specialists Kim Wilbur and Sean Kelly track energy consumption — including electricity, water, sewer, natural gas, and fuel oil — using energy-accounting software. They compare current energy use to a baseline period and calculate the amount of energy that would have been used had conservation and management practices not been implemented. By tracking consumption and analyzing energy use, they quickly identify and correct areas that need immediate attention.

Superintendent Edward Lee Vargas said, “We are committed to energy savings not only as conscientious stewards of our environment but also in order to direct our resources toward educational needs. Maximizing resources is one of the seven key strategic goals the School Board set forth in 2010.”