Hall schools embarking on energy efficiency upgrade

GAINESVILLE - The Hall County School Board plans to vote tonight on "an expansive" system-wide energy efficiency upgrade.

In an e-mail to school system personnel, board members and others last week, Supt. Will Schofield said that, using SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) revenue, the system intends to place "state of the art" energy saving technology in all school buildings.

Schofield said this will be done in two phases.

Phase One, he said, is expected to cost $1.7 million and would encompass the school district's largest energy users - middle and high schools.

Phase Two would begin early next year and include elementary and support space, with annual savings of up to $500,000 projected there.