Deer Park Schools discuss going green

Deer Park School District's Green Committee, comprised of Board of Education members and central administration recently met with experts in various conservation and new energy areas to discuss the Deer Park School District's potential transfer to "green" facilities. At the center of this movement is U.S. Representative Steve Israel, who has been campaigning for proactive legislation and the development of a grant program to equip school districts like Deer Park with the financial power to go green.

Thanks to a free energy audit secured by Board Trustee Keith Rooney (completed at no cost to taxpayers) every Deer Park building was evaluated. Facilities that would yield the greatest energy conservation and fiscal savings were identified. Through energy conservation and self-generation using solar panels, windmills, geothermal energy, and smart controllers, the Deer Park Schools can create a more efficient operation and environmentally-conscience learning environment. Among the potential areas discussed were a possible conversion to compressed natural gas buses for Deer Park's approximate 85-bus fleet, as well as time monitored building temperature controls, occupancy sensors that automatically shut off lights when a room is temporarily unoccupied, and the use of solar panels as a primary energy resource.

"At this moment, there are a lot of things that are conceptual, however these are real measures that our district can take toward conservation and creating a healthier learning environment for our children," said Board of Education Trustee and Energy Chairman Keith Rooney.

Board of Education President and Green Committee member Dennis Ryan added.

"It's a win-win situation given these factors. As a committee and Board of Ed we must assess which of these initiatives our district can support in the short term, in order to realize the long term benefits."

Energy professionals from New Energy Worldwide, Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and Keyspan are in the process of preparing projected cost and energy savings outcomes in a detailed report to the Deer Park Board of Education that will include plans on how to go about "going green."

Shown in the top photo, left to right, are Board of Education members Trustee Keith Rooney and Vice President John Gouskos, CEO of New Energy Worldwide Steve Rogin who described the educational and student involvement opportunities solar energy provides and Representative Steve Israel. Shown in the photo at left, left to right, standing are Board of Education Trustee and Green Committee Chair Keith Rooney, Daylight Savings Company Bill Conn, Green Committee member and Deer Park Administrator of Facilities and Operations Kirk Gostkowski, LIPA Account Executive Robert Scipioni, CEO of New Energy Worldwide Steve Rogin,and Keyspan Program Manager Ronald Gulmi and seated are Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Marino, Board of Education President and Green Committee member Dennis Ryan, and Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Gene Levenstien were some of the key people present at a recent Green Committee meeting.

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