Neilson announces $2.8M in Alternative and Clean Energy grants for Rhawnhurst and Anne Frank elementary school projects
Rep. Ed Neilson July 14, 2020 | 4:35 PM
PHILADELPHIA, July 14 – State Rep. Ed Neilson announced Tuesday that more than $2.8 million in grant funding has been awarded to Rhawnhurst and Anne Frank elementary schools for building projects expected to reduce energy and water usage.
“I’m incredibly happy to see this much-needed funding awarded to schools in my district,” Neilson said. “Investments in our children and their education pay dividends, and investments that also work toward energy efficiency are doubly valuable.”
Anne Frank Elementary School was awarded an $800,154 Alternative and Clean Energy Program grant for a two-story, nearly 25,000 square foot LEED Gold certified addition to its existing 103,000 square foot-building. The project includes LED lighting fixtures, low-flow plumbing fixtures, sound attenuation materials, water and energy meters, CO2 sensors, and water bottle-filling stations. The project is expected to reduce the school’s energy use by nearly half and its water usage by 35%.
The grant funding will go toward the total project cost of about $9 million, with the School District of Philadelphia providing about $8 million in matching funds.
Rhawnhurst Elementary School has been awarded a $2 million Alternative and Clean Energy Program grant to renovate its existing 58,000 square foot-building, achieving USGBC LEED Gold certification. The planned energy-saving features include a high-efficiency HVAC system with radiant heat, LED energy-efficient lighting, a thermal envelope that exceeds code requirements, and daylight sensors. The energy measures are expected to reduce the school’s energy and water usage and allow the school to eliminate its use of oil for energy production and be solely reliant on natural gas and electricity.
The grant funding will go toward the total project cost of about $23 million. The School District of Philadelphia will provide about $21 million in matching funds.
The grant funding is being provided by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, which administers Pennsylvania’s economic stimulus packages.
###