Power Wise at Work: Mohammed Schools of Atlanta

Last month, GIPL visited Mohammed Schools of Atlanta, a Muslim school in south DeKalb county that provides a Qur'anic-based education for children from preschool through high school. Mohammed Schools signed up for an energy audit through our Green Mosque Initiative — through December 2015, all Muslim mosques, schools and prayer centers are eligible to receive a free energy audit through GIPL’s Power Wise program and the Community Foundation’s One Region Atlanta program.Engineer Gary Gabriels, PE, CEM and LEED-AP, was on hand to walk us and Principal Qur’an Shakir through the audit, giving us a tour of the school's buildings. Mohammed Schools is housed in a combination of older and newer buildings -- one built in 1970, and another built in 2001. Altogether, the school pays to heat, cool, and light approximately 12,000 square feet. This audit revealed a potential $5,800 in annual energy savings for the school. Here are the finer points of Gary's findings:The focus of an energy audit is typically on heating and cooling costs, since a shift toward more sustainable systems and practices in that arena makes the biggest impact on a community's energy bills. Gary explained the benefits of investing in a wifi thermostat system, where energy savings is achieved by more precise temperature control, better setpoint management (especially during unoccupied heating hours), and better management of time of day scheduling. He estimated that Mohammed Schools could save 5% on their energy bills with this change alone.We also looked at the school's light fixtures. Most of the classrooms and hallways are illuminated by 2’x4’ four lamp light fixtures that use T12 lamps. Gary estimates that if each fixture were replaced with a new T8 light fixture the energy consumption would be reduced by 45% while the lighting output would be reduced by 31%. This would save the school $1,302 annually.Energy loss was another key factor Gary investigated. He identified several spots around windows and sliding glasss doors where massive air leaks could be plugged. Mohammed Schools has a beautiful, lofted setting for their Musallah, but the walls are thin and not well insulated. Gary recommended EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System) on the indoor surface of the roof decking. EIFS includes a two-inch thick layer of insulation.In addition, he recommended the six skylights be covered with solar window film to prevent "hot spots" in the room from sunlight. Gary suggested several other changes and tips for Mohammed Schools as they tackle energy efficiency projects in the coming months and years:

• Clean each indoor and outdoor HVAC coil once a year in the month of March.

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents. (Assuming five hours of use per day,

changing a single incandescent with a compact fluorescent bulb can save $10 in electricity costs

each year.)

• Replace all non-LED exit signs with LED models. (You can determine if an exit sign is LED if it is

cool to the touch. Replacing an old incandescent exit sign with an LED sign can save

approximately $12 in electricity costs each year.)

• Set office equipment including computers, monitors and printers to enter low-power mode after 15 minutes of inactivity. The appropriate use of low power settings can save a considerable amount of energy without impacting performance. Several ENERGY STAR® corporate partners have saved as much as $75 per computer per year in energy costs.

• Determine which building occupant behaviors lead to energy waste and educate occupants about

the importance of energy smart behavior. Occupant behaviors have a tremendous impact on your

facility’s energy efficiency. From turning off lights when not needed to dressing appropriately for the season, occupants should learn how to be energy smart. This begins with understanding why

energy conservation is important and what they can do to be a part of the solution.

• Ask your utility company if you have a “rider” to your utility rate that counts weekends as off-peak periods. Because congregational facilities often set their peak energy demand during worship

services on the weekend, it is important that your utility treat the weekends as off-peak. This

important money saving measure can be made available to your congregation upon request.

We're excited for Mohammed School's proactive step toward becoming Power Wise! Check out more pictures from our audit day below: