Energy and Resource Management
The Resource/Energy Department manages and tracks the District's utilities - including water, energy, and waste - and finds ways for the District to be more Sustainable. The Resource/Energy Department implements conservation projects in an effort to meet the goals set by the Sustainability Management Plan, help the District strive towards better stewardship of resources, and reduce utility costs. Other innovation-focused programs include on-site solar and electric vehicles.
Sustainability at TSD
Sustainability Initiatives
Sustainability Management Plan
During the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year, TSD students, staff, and community members created the first Sustainability Management Plan for the district. The plan set goals around three focus areas: energy, water, and waste. The plan guides the district towards sustainable practices through 2025-2026.
Energy
Electricity and natural gas make up a majority of the District’s utility costs. Upgrades to LED lighting, improving building envelope, and installing on-site solar are some ways the District can reduce energy use.
Energy Performance Contract
Through the Colorado Energy Office’s Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) program, the Thompson School District is implementing LED lighting and indoor water fixture upgrades at 8 sites as well as on-site solar at 1 site. The EPC allows future utility cost savings to finance energy conservation and renewable energy projects. Work is expected to start Summer 2025.
Water
Indoor Water
About a quarter of TSD’s water use is indoors. Upgrading fixtures like toilets, urinals, and sink faucets to low flow saves on indoor water.
Outdoor Water
Over 75% of TSD’s water use is outdoors. By converting unnecessary Kentucky Bluegrass and other underutilized outdoor spaces to low-water, native landscaping, TSD can conserve water, improve plant diversity, provide all-season color, and offer an area for the TSD community to connect with nature.
Funding for these projects come from a mix of grants from Northern Water and the Colorado Water Conservation Board, District and Parent-Teacher Organizations budgets, and volunteer support.
More information about each project, including links to the plants, can be found on the school’s website.
- Cottonwood Plains Elementary School Front Landscaping - 2023
- Winona Elementary School Front Landscaping - 2024
Waste
Each school receives trash and recycling services. Other efforts to reduce the volume of trash going to the landfill include glass recycling, textile reuse, composting, and more.
Glass recycling
Glass can be recycled infinitely, and offering glass-only collection bins that separate clear and colorful glass ensures the success of recycling. A City of Loveland glass recycling bin is located in the northeast parking lot of Mountain View High School and is open to the public.
Textile reuse
Gently used clothes, shoes, linens, etc. are collected by USAgain. Reusing textiles results in water and energy conservation and minimizes pollution that result from manufacturing new fibers. A collection bin can be found in front of Berthoud High School.
Composting
As food waste breaks down in the landfill, it creates methane - a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide (source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). While TSD does not currently receive commercial food waste collection, onsite composting allows for small-scale food waste diversion.
- Carrie Martin Elementary School has a worm composting bin made from an upcycled refrigerator painted by a local artist. The composter is open to the ground below, which allows the worms to move freely from the earth to the food scraps added to the bin
Electric Vehicles and Chargers
With the support of State, Federal, and local funding, the Thompson School District is purchasing electric vehicles and charging stations. Three Type A electric buses along with public and fleet charging stations are planned to be rolled out in Fall 2025.
Resource/Energy Manager