Consultant Hank Gilbert works overtime explaining what he won’t do to save the Lawrence school district more than $3 million on its energy bills by 2010.

“Our program isn’t about making them wear sweaters,” said Gilbert, a division president at Energy Education Inc. “It’s not about changing the curriculum. It’s not just a lights program.”

He said churches conducting Sunday services in schools wouldn’t be kicked out to cut electricity, water and natural gas bills. Art teachers won’t be forced to get rid of energy-gulping kilns. Sports contests won’t be dropped.

“What we’re trying to do is change the energy ethic in the school district,” Gilbert said.

Convincing people — primarily employees in maintenance, food service and custodial services — to make the transition from consumption to conservation won’t come cheaply.

The four-year contract requires the district to invest $919,000 on the consulting project with Energy Education. The company estimates the district could save $3.1 million if the program remains in place for seven years.

The price tag for hiring the firm is likely to cause agitation among some district taxpayers, said board member Leni Salkind.

The key to acceptance, she said, is to think in the long term.

“People see the cost of something like this and, in times of financial need, don’t understand why we’re out there spending the money,” Salkind said.

Supt. Randy Weseman, who helped develop the proposal approved this week by the school board, said the energy-management program was overdue.

“There are significant amounts of money out there,” he said. “The fact we can save money and do the right thing is very appealing to me.”

Savings can be invested back into the district’s educational program, he said.

The contract approved by the school board with Energy Education of Wichita Falls, Texas, is unusual.

Gilbert said the company would write a check to the district in each year of the contract if it didn’t live up to savings targets. Essentially, he said, it means the worst the district can do is break even.

“We’re guaranteeing them that it’s not going to cost anything,” Gilbert said.

But, he said the company didn’t stake its reputation on breaking even. It’s in the business of saving districts money, he said.

“Hiring us isn’t a spending decision. It’s a savings decision,” he said.

Under the company’s program, the district will hire a full-time energy manager.

“You’re looking for someone with excellent people skills,” Gilbert said.

The manager, who will be the energy hog’s worst enemy, will receive one-on-one training from nearly two dozen Energy Education specialists. The manager and consultants will rely on common sense and sophisticated technology to pinpoint where cuts could be made.

They’ll visit schools around the clock on school days, weekends and vacations. They’ll also rely on energy accounting software.

Energy Education has worked with more than 400 U.S. school districts, including Topeka, Leavenworth, Derby, Wichita, Salina and Garden City.

Cost-avoidance totals offered by Energy Education:

• $19 million in a nine-year period for the Wichita district.
• $8.1 million in eight years for the Grand Prairie (Texas) Independent School District.
• $3.3 million in eight years for the Walker County school district in LaFayette, Ga.
• $546,000 in 2 1/2 years for the Derby district.

Board President Scott Morgan said the program did appear, on first glance, to be too good to be true.

“It needs to be watched, and it will be,” he said. “But if you spend a little bit to save more, it’s a good use of tax money.”