ENGIE Sustainability Project – Livermore High

• Relevant Skills: Energy Systems Analysis, Cost-Benefit and Life-Cycle Analysis (LEED BD+C), Sustainability Planning, Technical Communication

Background

In partnership with ENGIE, Livermore High School executed a multi-system sustainability project to reduce energy costs, modernize facilities, and educate students on renewable energy. The project targeted lighting retrofits, solar array installation, and HVAC upgrades, combined with an educational campaign to promote sustainable practices.

Goals

Project goals included:

• Reduce annual campus energy consumption through efficiency upgrades
• Lower operational costs and reinvest savings into education
• Improve indoor comfort, safety, and learning conditions for students (LEED BD+C)
• Create scalable models for district-wide adoption
• Engage students and broader community in sustainability education

Design and Execution

• Lighting Retrofit
  • Replaced 281 outdated bulbs and installed 220 motion-controlled lights
  • Improved illumination quality, reduced glare, and enhanced campus safety
  • Integrated motion sensors to minimize wasted energy
• Solar Installation
  • Built three new solar arrays, including a 178.2 kW in the stadium parking lot
  • Produced ~295,465 kWh annually, lowering grid dependence
  • Enabled long-term savings and potential revenue from excess energy resale
• HVAC Upgrades
  • Replaced aging transformers and improved heating/cooling efficiency
  • Enhanced indoor air quality, humidity control, and comfort levels
  • Reduced annual HVAC energy use by 78,221 kWh

Outcome

• Lighting: ~345,000 kWh/year → $89,380 annuall savings
• Solar: ~$70,403 annual savings
• HVAC: ~$18,364 annual savings
• Total Annual Savings: $178,148 (~$1.78M over 10 years)
• Significant carbon-footprint and greenhouse-gas reductions