The only way things like a windmill or solar panels are economically feasible is through grants or donations to pay for the initial cost,” said Steve Lund, District 241 Energy Manager. “We cannot produce enough electricity on the small scale that we’re at to make it productive.”
That answers one big question, but many more remain. Mainly, what does District 241 and, specifically, Albert Lea High School doing to be Earth friendly, or as it has been called in recent years, Going Green.
“Green basically to me,” Lund said, “Means that a school district is avoiding waste; using what is necessary, but reducing those areas which can be reduced. And I think we do that quite well.”
Lund’s job as Energy Manager includes monitoring District 241’s energy consumption as far as lighting, heating, water usage, and waste production. He uses this information to implement a plan for the district to reduce that usage and therefore reduce cost. But Lund doesn’t do it all on his own; he receives help from a program called Energy Education.
Energy Education “trains client personnel to implement behavioral and organizational changes that substantially reduce energy consumption without having to buy new equipment,” according to energyeducation.com. District 241 started the Energy Education program eight years ago, and in that amount of time, cost has been reduced by nearly $2.2 million, according to Lund.
“The program is about much more than simply turning off lights and computers,” says Energy Education. “It’s about changing organizational behavior–how each person in the organization uses and manages energy for years to come.”
According to district Energy Conservation Guidelines, all unnecessary lighting in unoccupied areas
should be turned off, all comput-
ers should be turned off at the
start of each weekend and on
holidays, and air-conditioning
and heating should be turned off during unoccupied times. These are only a few examples of how District 241 uses and manages its energy.
Albert Lea High School’s unique way of saving energy comes in the form of geothermal heat, which uses ground water as a source. With ground water being at a temperature of already around 50 degrees, much less energy is needed to heat it as compared to cold water. Geothermal heat uses electricity to heat that water an extra 20 degrees to a comfortable classroom temperature.
A final question remains; what can students do to help our district help the environment?

 
Riverland Community College’s wind turbine. The turbine supplements the Albert Lea campus’ power needs and is also used in the Wind Technology program offered there.

below: Some teachers refer to Steve Lund as “the Knight of Darkness” because of these post-it notes. He places them on computers that were left on overnight, to remind the user to shut down their computer next time. “Those sticky notes really do make me more conscious about being sure all the equipment in my room is shut off before I leave for the weekend,” said Max Jeffrey.