Comanche County USD is a Kansas unified school district headquartered in Coldwater, KS. The district serves the communities of Coldwater, Protection, Wilmore, Buttermilk, and nearby rural areas. District facilities include South Central High School, South Central Middle School, and South Central Elementary School.

The Comanche County School District needed to address their aging and outdated HVAC equipment. ESP’s team began by conducting a detailed analysis of the district’s needs and energy-saving opportunities. Utility analysis, site visits, and conversations with staff revealed that there were opportunities for substantially improving system efficiency and decreasing operating costs while enhancing comfort. The project needed to be completed with a limited budget without a bond issue and local bank financing.

The district ultimately selected a group of improvements that addressed their immediate needs. The project included building envelope improvements District wide, gymnasium air conditioning to the High School and Middle School, heating and cooling upgrades to he High School, and ventilation system upgrades to the High School.

The upgrades have created a better learning and teaching environment for students, faculty, and staff members. The project will save the district over $27,000 annually on utility and operating costs. These savings are allowing the District to use utility savings and existing budget dollars to pay for the improvements over time rather than turning to the community for tax money.