MONTGOMERY— The Decatur city school system is taking steps to save energy and reduce utility costs with the help of a $200,000 economic stimulus grant awarded by Gov. Bob Riley.

The grant will enable the school system to upgrade heating and air conditioning equipment at Brookhaven and Oak Park middle schools. The improvements will save an estimated $27,676 annually, according to the school system.

“Taking steps to save energy is a good investment for Decatur city schools,” Riley said. “The energy-saving measures made possible by this grant will reduce utility expenses and enable the school system to focus more resources on the classroom.”

The project will replace heating and air conditioning control systems with digital models that provide more precise regulation. The systems start heating and cooling equipment in phases rather than simultaneously and adjust the speed of cooling-system motors according to demand.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to Alabama by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Riley informed Sam Houston, superintendent of Decatur City Schools, that the grant had been approved.

--30--

Contact: Mike Presley, Larry Childers