Project Director, Emile Lauzzana, and Project Manager, Jason Bing, travelled north to the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) during the last week in June to visit schools participating in the Michigan Renewable Schools Program. In addition to school visits, Emile and Jason met with local environmentalists in Marquette and enjoyed rediscovering the beauty of our state. The trip included visits to the following schools:
- Baraga Area Schools in Baraga, MI will receive a 2 kW solar awning.
- Calumet High School in Calumet, MI will receive an energy audit.
- Gladstone High School in Gladstone, MI will receive a 2 kW solar awning.
- Iron Mountain High School in Iron Mountain, MI will receive an energy audit.
- Jeffers High School in Painesdale, MI will receive an energy audit.
- Vulcan Middle School in Norway, MI will receive a 2 kW solar awning.
- Washington Middle School in Calumet, MI will receive an energy audit.
To view a map of all K-12 schools participating in the Michigan Renewable Schools Program, click here. Scroll down to view photos from the trip.
U.P. Engineers & Architects, Inc. (UPEA), a firm based in the U.P., will conduct energy audits at schools participating in the Energy Efficiency Program in the U.P. region.
Windemuller, a firm based in Traverse City, will install solar and/or wind systems at several schools participating in the Renewable Energy Program.
Emile and Jason had the opportunity to tour each school facility, often guided by the Facilities Director. Emile and Jason were impressed by the dedication of the respective Facilities Directors. It was evident that each Facilities Director was passionate about saving their school money through cost effective building improvements and reducing the school’s energy consumption.
Wood Boiler
Schools in the U.P. are often faced with different challenges than schools down state, including access to fuel sources and extreme winters (over 200 inches of snow!). Jeffers High School primarily uses propane to heat the building because there is no access to natural gas. Due to the high cost of propane, Jeffers High School is considering a wood boiler to heat their school, similar to the one used in the Calumet School District.
Emile and Jason had the opportunity to visit the large-scale wood fired boiler used to heat the large school complex in the Calumet School District. The wood boiler uses approximately 7-10 tons of wood chips per day during the winter months in order to heat the complex. Wood is an inexpensive and local renewable resource in the U.P. of Michigan. Calumet pays roughly 30% of the typical natural gas costs annually. However, the wood boiler has a much higher price tag when considering the significant impact on the environment due to the larger quantity of carbon dioxide it emits into the atmosphere, when compared to other fuel sources.
Jason Bing and Facilities Director, Mike Hale, at Calumet High School where approximately
7 tons of wood chips are dumped each day to heat the large school complex using a wood
fired boiler.
Wood chips are carried into the building on a conveyor belt to be fired in the wood boiler.
Wood chips are fired and the ash is collected.
Discovering Family History
While visiting Jeffers High School, Emile was surprised to discover information about his wife’s family history. Cara Lauzzana’s grandmother, Pearl Cowling, attended Jeffers High School and graduated in the class of 1933. One of the hallways at Jeffers High School displays photos of students from each graduating class throughout history, dating back to the first graduating class. Outgoing Superintendant, Patrick Rozich, gave Emile a CD with all of the class photos going back to the 19th century. The school secretary of 40 years turned out to be the wife of Cara's grandmothers's brother. She quickly recognized the family name and shared stories and information about the Cowlings, including pointing out their family home just 3 houses from the school!
Pearl Cowling's class photo shown above in the graduating class of 1933 at Jeffers High School.
Cowlings family home, 3 houses from Jeffers High School!
Jeffers High School in Painesdale, MI.
Original school desks at Calumet High School in Calumet, MI.
Third floor study hall at Calumet High School.
Vertical axis wind turbine recently installed in Ishpeming, MI.
Downtown Ishpeming, MI.