Warren County Public Schools is moving forward with a $30 million energy savings project that will add energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems and solar panels at several of its schools this summer.

“By being energy conscious we’re saving money,” said Chris McIntyre, the district’s chief financial officer.

Among the improvements are solar panels at Warren, Jody Richards, Bristow and Plano elementary schools along with the new Jennings Creek Elementary School.

Several schools are also getting underground geothermal systems, which use the steady temperature of the earth to heat and cool the building more efficiently. Those schools include Natcher and Warren elementary schools, Warren Central High School and Greenwood High School.

The district is also transitioning to more energy-efficient LED lighting systems in many of its schools, McIntyre said.

McIntyre said the upgrades are part of the district’s Guaranteed Energy Savings Project, which will play out over the next 15 months.

Along with saving money, McIntyre said the upgrades will also help educate students about the importance of reducing their energy use and having a positive footprint on the environment. The project will also contribute to students’ classroom learning by providing software they can use to track their school’s energy consumption. The information could potentially be used in science classrooms, he added.

“There will be a dashboard for every school,” he said.

The project will also free up money for classrooms. McIntyre said each school will have an energy consumption goal to get below. If the school meets that goal, it gets to keep half of the money it saves with the rest going back into district operations, he said.

The district has been recognized for opening the nation’s first net-zero school at Richardsville Elementary School.

With its solar panels, geothermal system and other energy-saving practices, the school is energy independent. It actually sells about $80,000 worth of energy back to the Tennessee Valley Authority each year, McIntyre said.

The new Jennings Creek Elementary School opening in August will also be a net-zero school, he added.

Warren Elementary School is among the schools getting the most amount of improvements this summer.

Along with the solar panels and geothermal systems, the school is also getting a new HVAC system and a new roof. Parents should also notice repainted classrooms, bulletin boards and whiteboards, McIntyre said.

Josh Porter, the school’s principal, said he expects the changes to boost staff morale and add value for students and parents.

“For students, when you improve all of those aspects of their daily routine then you allow their focus to come right back to learning,” he said.

After completing the Guaranteed Energy Savings Project, the district expects to save $850,000 a year minimum, which will be used to help repay a $28 million bond, McIntyre said.

“Currently the district is number 16th in the state as far as leaders in energy efficiency,” McIntyre said, adding he expects the project to propel it to first place.