The District recently celebrated the completion of its $18.5 million Energy Performance Contract with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Jr-Sr. High School.Through energy savings and state aid, this project was completed atno costto the community’s taxpayers.
The EPC will generate guaranteedsavings of at least $450,000 in its first full year of operation by reducing ESM's energy consumption at all five of its buildings. Thanks largely to the construction of solar carports and rooftop-mounted solar panels across the district, these cost-saving measures will reduce district energy usage.
Further savings were captured by retrofitting all the lights and lighting fixtures to LED throughout each facility. The district also installed new, massive 600-ton and 300-ton cooling units at the Jr-Sr High School as part of the project. These units are more efficient than the old ones, which had reached the end oftheirlifespan and were responsible for cooling the entire 365,000 squarefoot building. Otherenergy control measuresaddressed pipe and valve insulations, new building management controls, and energy-efficient motors for the heating systems at the Jr,-Sr, High School and Dayton Avenue School.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony, Superintendent of Schools Joseph A.Steimel thanked local and state legislators for making the funds available for the project, as well as for expediting the solar panel connection to the grid. In attendance were Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine, who cut the ceremonial ribbon, New York State Sen. Anthony Palumbo, New York Sen. Dean Murray and Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Karen Dunne Kesnig.
Date Added: 10/20/2025