a crowd of happy children sitting together

ABM, a provider of facility solutions, announced the initiation of an Energy Performance Contracting program for Charleroi Area School District (CASD), located in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. ABM’s custom solution is expected to create $4.6 million in energy and operating cost savings, empowering CASD leadership to proactively address asset renewal needs and improve indoor air quality for students, teachers, and faculty.

“In the wake of COVID-19, schools are reassessing ventilation assets and looking for ways to ensure healthy indoor air going forward,” said Mark Hawkinson, president of ABM Technical Solutions. “Energy projects are a fantastic financial solution that help schools prioritize facility infrastructure, healthy air, and fiscal responsibility together.”

In addition to energy savings and operational cost reductions from improved lighting, HVAC, and building control systems throughout the district, the project adds Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization technology, a pathogen and particle control measure, to every facility.

ABM’s Energy Performance Contracting Program enables a school system to invest in critical facility upgrades without drawing new capital from the community. The program is designed to drive costs out of a district’s operating budget, redirecting savings to fund critical facility needs and educational initiatives. ABM works with more than 500 K-12 school systems, colleges, and universities throughout the U.S. 

“The collaborative project with ABM is helping us address needs for every room in the district,” said Dr. Ed Zelich, superintendent of Charleroi Areas School District. “We’re improving the air quality for all our staff and students, parents, teachers, and the entire learning community. Together we have been able to solve HVAC issues that have interrupted the learning process in the past. Consequently, we’ve been able to obtain sustainable, efficient air quality improvements that are safeguarding our learning environments for the future.”

CASD serves approximately 1,500 students for the communities of Charleroi, Dunlevy, Speers, Stockdale, Twilight, North Charleroi, and Fallowfield Township. The project also included roof repairs and water conservation measures in several facilities.