Sustainability

San Carlos is Going Solar

May 31, 2018 Update

The San Carlos School District is going solar with construction starting this summer 2018. Photovoltaic solar will be installed on all schools in the form of a roof mounted system, a ground mounted shade structure or a combination of the two. Across the district the multiple systems will combine to a 870 kilowatt capacity which will save the District $3.5 million over 25 years and offset 100% of its energy consumption.  

This summer 2018 construction will begin on three ground mounted structures at Arundel Elementary, Central Middle School, and Heather Elementary. The tentative schedule for those schools is as follows:

School	Duration	Start Date	End Date
Arundel Elementary	29 days	Fri 6/15/18	Wed 7/25/18
Construction Start	6 days	Fri 6/15/18	Fri 6/22/18
Mechanical Installation	6 days	Mon 6/25/18	Mon 7/2/18
Module Installation	5 days	Tue 7/3/18	Mon 7/9/18
Electrical Installation	11 days	Tue 7/10/18	Tue 7/24/18
Substantial Completion	1 day	Wed 7/25/18	Wed 7/25/18
Heather Elementary	20 days	Thu 6/28/18	Wed 7/25/18
Construction Start	1 day	Thu 6/28/18	Thu 6/28/18
Mechanical Installation	7 days	Fri 6/29/18	Mon 7/9/18
Module Installation	4 days	Tue 7/10/18	Fri 7/13/18
Electrical Installation	7 days	Mon 7/16/18	Tue 7/24/18
Substantial Completion	1 day	Wed 7/25/18	Wed 7/25/18
Central Middle Carport	25 days	Fri 6/15/18	Thu 7/19/18
Construction Start	1 day	Fri 6/15/18	Fri 6/15/18
Mechanical Installation	9 days	Mon 6/25/18	Thu 6/28/18
Module Installation	4 days	Fri 6/29/18	Wed 7/4/18
Electrical Installation	10 days	Thu 7/5/18	Wed 7/18/18
Substantial Completion	1 day	Thu 7/19/18	Thu 7/19/18

Roof mounted solar will be installed at Arroyo, Central, Brittan Acres, Tierra Linda, Mariposa and White Oaks pending DSA approval. We expect to receive approval in mid-June which will allow for installation to occur this summer. A timeline for these schools will be provided once DSA approval is granted and a schedule is confirmed.

To see the most updated designs click here

To view the District’s Sustainability Policy, click here:

The San Carlos School District is going solar with construction beginning summer 2018. Across all schools, the system will include a combination of roof mounted solar and shade structures totaling 870 kW. This installation will allow the District offset all of its energy consumption while also saving $3.5 million over 25 years by locking in energy prices. For more information, click this link  SCSD – Community Outreach Mtg Slides:

Green Infrastructure and Proposition 39:

The California Clean Energy Jobs Act (Prop. 39) allows school districts to apply for funds from the state to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency projects in order to reduce their carbon footprint and save money on energy costs. The funds secured by the San Carlos School District will be put towards improvements to heating, AC, lighting, a building management system and photovoltaic solar at each school.

These improvements will save the district significant money on energy costs while reducing green house gas emissions and improve our learning environments.

Culture of Sustainability:

Sustainability goes beyond the buildings we learn in and extends towards the culture of our offices and classrooms. Teachers are able to promote sustainability in the classroom through project based learning that create a sense of ownership of not just out campus but the planet as a whole.

Green Teams help to sort trash during lunch with the goal of increasing how much waste we can divert from the landfill to recycling and compost.

Using the newly installed energy management system, students and staff are able to see how much energy is consumed on campus and to find opportunities to conserve.

School gardens and wild zones offer the chance for students to engage with the natural side of their campus through hands on learning.