Opterra Energy Services has completed a $33 million modernization project for the Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District (YCJUSD) in California. In addition to upgrades to lighting systems and HVAC equipment, the school district also installed 3.1 MW of solar across 12 schools.
One of the solar arrays for YCJUSD.
“This project represents a major step forward for our district,” said Cathy Bogh, President of the YCJUSD Board of Education. “We are proud to invest in modern, efficient, and sustainable facilities that directly benefit our students and staff, all while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. This partnership has allowed us to improve our schools for the current community of students and teachers, while planning responsibly for growth into the future.”
The modernization project is expected to deliver significant financial and environmental benefits, including more than $42 million in net savings over 20 years. YCJUSD will also secure more than $5 million in an Inflation Reduction Act grant.
Ensuring that the project infrastructure improvements also had a direct impact on district education goals, the energy program includes a customized student engagement initiative with multiple offerings. One key activity focuses on student internships designed to enrich YCJUSD’s vision to expand workforce development and readiness for students in energy and sustainability fields. Led by Opterra’s in-house energy education team and advised by school district leadership, the program also includes the development of elementary science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) learning kits aligned to the district’s curriculum to be distributed across all elementary schools. With the unique combination of energy infrastructure upgrades and tailored education tie-ins, YCJUSD’s program is helping to equip educators with hands-on tools to engage students in sustainability, energy and engineering concepts.
“Our team is so proud to support YCJUSD’s vision for future success through the successful completion of our project together this spring. YCJUSD’s leadership demonstrates how school districts can take a proactive, strategic approach to modernizing facilities while delivering measurable financial and environmental benefits,” said Courtney Jenkins, CEO of Opterra Energy Services. “By leveraging a comprehensive energy program, the district has transformed its campuses into more efficient, sustainable learning environments without increasing costs to the community.”
News item from Opterra
