May 11, 2007 By Rebekah Sungala 3 min read

The Uniontown Area School Board Buildings and Grounds/ Operations Committee on Thursday discussed the possibility of having Siemens Corporation look into ways to make all of the district’s schools more energy efficient. According to the company’s Web site, Siemens specializes in automation and control, information and communications, lighting, medical, power, transportation and water technologies and is based in New York with offices throughout the United States.

Board President Susan S. Clay said the district could possibly save several thousand dollars if schools were made more energy efficient.

Clay said she, school director William Rittenhouse Jr. and district Superintendent Charles Machesky recently met with a Siemens representative to discuss what could be done. Machesky said he learned of the company while attending a superintendent’s meeting in Pittsburgh.

According to Clay, the representative said between $550,000 and $750,000 total could be saved by making the high school alone more energy efficient.

District architect Mark Altman of Altman & Altman of Uniontown said Siemens will, if the school board wishes, send representatives to all schools to investigate and see what improvements could be made in regards to energy and utility savings.

Altman said Siemens’ recommendations, if the school board agrees to implement them, should not cost the district anything.

“It’s something worth looking into,” he said.

According to Altman, the school district would then pay construction costs to have the improvements made, but said Siemens would guarantee the savings in utility bills would offset construction costs.

For example, Altman said the school district saw a 40 percent reduction in water usage at Franklin Elementary School by replacing old fixtures and installing low-flush toilets and water faucets with sensors in the restrooms.

Being it was a committee meeting, no action could be taken.

However, school board members present Thursday unanimously agreed to give Altman permission to share information with Siemens.

In addition to Clay, school directors Harry Kaufman, who is chairman of the committee, Lloyd Williams, Charles Castor, Tammy Boyle, Nancy Herring and Dorothy Grahek attended the meeting. Directors Rittenhouse and Kenneth Meadows were absent.

“Sounds like a win-win to me,” Kaufman said, with Boyle agreeing.

“Anything that saves us money,” she said.

As for other matters, the committee discussed the possibility of installing two flashing lights near Menallen Elementary School.

The committee also discussed the possibility of purchasing a narcotic K-9 for the school district at a cost of $4,000.

School police Chief Don Homer said the $4,000 would pay for the dog’s training and equipment.

The school district already has two bomb-sniffing dogs handled by Homer.

Those present Thursday seemed to support the idea.

In addition, the committee also discussed issues involving students parking on city streets instead of the student parking lot.

The committee concluded the meeting before entering into executive session to discuss personnel and litigation issues involving students.

The school board will meet at 6:30 p.m. May 21 in the high school band room.