Bedford Central School District, composed of seven schools, is located 50 miles north of New York City in Westchester County. The district was looking to embark on an energy performance project that would address deferred maintenance and renew an outdated infrastructure while remaining cash flow neutral or positive. After a competitive RFP process, the district chose Ecosystem for a response that looked beyond the measures proposed in the RFP, delivering a better product by rethinking the current measures and redesigning for future use.
One of the district’s motivations for the project, for example, was necessary replacement of outdated piping in one school that required constant, costly maintenance and repairs. Ecosystem engineers agreed that the failing piping needed replacement, but they also considered the long-term maintenance outlook of the entire building. Tunnels complicated access to the piping, and addressing this issue in tandem allowed for easier maintenance in the future.
Ecosystem also met with the district several times to create a deeper understanding of their challenges and goals driving the project. In the scope outlined in the RFP, the district had planned to replace old windows in one of the schools. Ecosystem instead proposed a combination of other infrastructure improvements that could generate additional savings. A steam to hot water conversion maximized value, allowing for more electromechanical deferred maintenance and addressing the failing pipes.
Steam to hot water conversion
Interior and exterior lighting upgrades
Controls optimization
Heat pumps
