Texas School for the Deaf

PROGRESS REPORT

Texas School for the Deaf’s (TSD) facilities management, maintenance, housekeeping and janitorial services were statutorily transferred to the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) during the 82^nd and 83^rd Legislative Sessions. While TFC controls the day-to-day upkeep of buildings and infrastructure equipment on campus, TSD still pays the costs of monthly utilities consumed on the 66-acre campus which covers 44 building structures and over 550,000 square feet of conditioned interior space. However, TSD has been informally working in concert with TFC for the last seven years developing energy conservation and cost reductions strategies that result in more efficient energy use and a better value to the taxpayers of Texas. With the utilization of Deferred Maintenance (DM) funds appropriated to TFC by the Legislature for use on the TSD campus, TSD has greatly benefited from millions of dollars in capital improvements to numerous electrical, water and other infrastructure systems across campus.

Additionally, TSD takes the following actions to effectively manage utility resources:

• Set thermostats at 68 degrees when heating and 78 degrees when cooling.
• Encourage employees to turn lights out when leaving unoccupied areas.
• Encourage employees to turn off computers at the end of their workday.
• Encourage employees to wear appropriate attire for the weather conditions.
• Discourage the use of space heaters whenever practical.
• Discourage coffee makers, microwaves, refrigerators and other small appliances except in designated areas.
• Replace lightbulbs with compact fluorescent or LED lights whenever possible.
• Fleet fuel savings – combine trips to reduce total miles driven.
• Fleet fuel savings – additional emphasis on our preventative maintenance program.
• Fleet fuel savings – further education of employees of fuel-efficient operating practices.
• Fleet fuel savings – use of vans in place of buses for transporting work program students.

Due to periodic school closures during to the COVID pandemic the most recent reporting year is not an adequate metric to properly evaluate the school’s energy efficiency and conservation initiatives. However, utility utilization has decreased due to the school continuing to install more efficient lighting systems, HVAC systems, automatic door closers for campus security and continuing an aggressive PM schedule to ensure peak performance of campus MEP systems.

GOALS

Not reported.

STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING GOALS

The most significant factors involve continuing capital improvement projects for the infrastructure and facilities systems. For example: all exterior doors are being converted to auto-close with magnetic door locks (closed campus for security reasons), low efficiency windows are being upgraded and replaced, exterior facade improvements such as caulking and tuck-pointing of brickwork to eliminate conditioned air loss, replacement and upgrading of most HVAC systems across campus buildings, installation of programmable thermostats, installation of low flow water faucets, sinks and toilets, roof repairs/replacements, complete upgrading of central power plant systems and controls (cooling towers, boilers, hot water storage tanks) and electrical upgrades including primary and secondary switchgear replacements. These efforts have been ongoing since 2016.

IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

Total agency utility costs have been reduced year over year for the past 5 years with the capital improvements across campus resulting in immediate cost savings and efficiencies as outdated systems are modernized. However, it is important to understand that with increasing student enrollment on a residential campus there will be situations in which utility usage for commodities such as water may increase from time to time, or experience dramatic decreases in utilization such-as when the campus was closed to residential students for much of the COVID pandemic. Additionally, with increased student numbers it should be understandable that bus fuel usage may increase if the number of bus routes is increased across the Tri-County area in and around Austin. The CFO reviews monthly and quarterly utility costs as a standard component of the school’s budget administration, however, it should be noted that energy and fuel costs have skyrocketed since Jan. 2021 as rampant inflation continues to ravage the national economy at 40-year highs. Despite these challenges, TSD will continue its efforts to reduce overall utility and energy consumption on campus.

AGENCY FINANCE STRATEGY

By state statute, TSD is completely dependent upon TFC successfully requesting and receiving state appropriations during each legislative session for additional deferred maintenance activities to be supported on the TSD campus. TSD is, however, in the midst of a multi-year comprehensive facilities master plan, and as such, has received funding during the 85^th and 86^th legislative sessions for two phases of new construction activities on campus (new central services building, new early childhood education center, traffic circulation and security improvements, etc.) that implement current best practices to maximize energy efficiencies. Facility Master Plan funding was not requested during the 87^th legislative session due to other competing priorities involving the COVID pandemic and how to re-open the school safety for students and staff. As part of its recent Legislative Appropriations Request for the upcoming 88^th legislative session, TSD has requested exceptional item funding in excess of $56 million for the construction of new energy efficient classrooms and transitional apartments for certain student groups. 

EMPLOYEE AWARENESS PLAN

Not reported.