International School Bangkok is First Clinton Climate Initiative School Project

IS Bangkok Becomes First Clinton Climate Initiative Energy Efficiency School Project, Aims to Cut its Carbon Footprint by 700 tons of CO2 per Year

International School Bangkok (ISB) has just completed a project, in partnership with Johnson Controls, to transform the energy efficiency of its campus. The project, which is the first Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit to be carried out in a school, will eliminate more than 700 tons of CO2 a year (25 percent of its greenhouse gases)—the equivalent of taking 128 passenger vehicles off the road, or planting 17,950 tree seedlings in an urban setting!

The project involved replacing 645 air conditioning units in classrooms and 23 large central units with new energy efficient and quieter ones. In addition, all the lights in classrooms, offices, and corridors were changed from the old so-called T8 technology to new energy efficient T5 technology. The changes have been met with enthusiastic approval.

The project represents a four-way partnership between ISB, the Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls, and the Thai Ministry of Energy. The combination of low-interest loans from the Ministry and energy savings will give ISB a payback period of about 7.5 years. The project is expected to save the School almost US$ 150,000 a year in energy costs.

The Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, works with governments and businesses around the world to tailor local solutions to climate change that are economically and environmentally sustainable. This includes working with cities to accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

CCI’s Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program brings together many of the world’s largest energy service companies, financial institutions, and cities in a landmark effort to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings across the municipal, private, commercial, educational, and public housing sectors.

CCI introduced the concept of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) to the retrofit of ISB. It also introduced the technical partners, and is providing ongoing support on conception, design and implementation.

ISB is also aiming to achieve a LEED Gold Certificate from the US Green Building Council for a new Cultural Center, which is currently under construction and scheduled to be completed in April 2010. Energy models of this building in comparison with standard US buildings confirm that ISB’s will be a minimum of 29 percent more energy efficient. The plans include a rain harvesting and water recycling system, insulation of walls and windows, use of ‘green’ materials for carpeting and furniture, and, of course, energy efficient air conditioners and light fixtures.

Across the School, ISB has already implemented a number of environmental measures, including a rainwater harvesting program and a robust recycling program that includes batteries, printer cartridges, and used cell phones in addition to glass, cans, plastic, and paper. Over the past two summers, a total of 288 new bicycle parking spaces have been added, in an attempt to encourage more students, teachers and parents who live in the vicinity to ride to school.

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