Rancho Santa Fe School’s Prop 39 projects moving forward

By Karen Billing

The Rancho Santa Fe School District will take advantage of funding from Prop 39, the Clean Energy Jobs Act to help make its school more energy-efficient. Superintendent Lindy Delaney said they are interested in doing anything they can to be more efficient as they have seen significant increases in their energy bills since rates went up — the district’s last bill was for $20,000.

The district will receive $250,000 over the next five years and its has selected projects to complete such as a new chiller (a system that produces chilled water to cool air); new LED lighting in the 400 building, one of the older buildings on campus; and replacing the bulbs in the parking lot lights. The work is expected to cost around $240,000 and Delaney said over the next eight months they will work on approvals and going out to bid for the projects — she expects it all to be complete next summer.

Delaney said the district will be out of pocket on the projects and then reimbursed by the state.