Watching

Today was my first day in my new position as Facilities Director. As I began to wade through my materials, I noticed there were several recurring duties that have documentation dating back dozens of years. Asbestos abatement, indoor air quality, and energy consumption are very large pieces of this job. All three relate to my topic as well, the first two for obvious health reasons, the third to help the district be more efficient and green. Having good air quality will also help the district become more environmentally friendly, because the heating, cooling, and ventilation systems would run more efficiently using less energy.

Another observation I am making is that this district is already making some considerable efforts to be be more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. For example, an energy manager is employed to help buildings use energy with less waste. Second, each room is equipped with recycling cans, encouraging students and staff to recycle whenever possible. Finally, we already work on turning lights off when rooms are not being used, and having the heat down when buildings are unoccupied. I look forward to exploring more ways to save energy and be environmentally friendly, but it looks like this district is on the right track.