Mason City School District Gets Top Grade for Energy Efficient Expansion Using Innovative Ice Storage System

Mason City School District Gets Top Grade for Energy Efficient Expansion Using
Innovative Ice Storage System
- Environmentally Responsible System Will Save District More than $55,000
Annually -

MASON, Ohio, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Mason High School's recently completed
expansion takes advantage of energy efficient infrastructure systems,
including an innovative ice storage system, projected to save the district
more than $55,000 in annual energy costs and to pay the investment back in
less than five years. The payback is accelerated by a $72,000 energy incentive
from Duke Energy Corp., one of the largest electric power companies in the
United States.

The building systems selected by the district were chosen for their ability to
create high-performance classrooms and other spaces that optimize students'
learning environments, increase faculty retention and help improve student
test scores. The ice storage system creates and stores ice at night when
electricity rates are reduced, and then uses it during the day to cool the
building when electricity demand is at its highest.

Classroom conditions can actually affect student performance. A recent study
in Educational Facility Planner Report found a direct correlation between
classroom environmental conditions and student performance.

When the Mason City Schools Board of Education initiated the project in 2007
to expand the high school with more common spaces and 49 new classrooms, it
was looking for energy efficient and environmentally responsible improvements
that would also deliver financial and academic payback. The expansion
accommodates larger incoming classes, and the project was financed so that it
did not raise taxes.

"In this economy, it's more important than ever that we maximize energy
efficiency while creating the best learning and teaching environment for our
students, faculty and staff," said Dr. Kevin Bright, superintendent, Mason
City Schools. "We're pleased that the selected infrastructure systems will
save us money while addressing our environmental responsibilities."

Award for Energy Leadership to Honor Mason City School District
The Mason City School District will receive the "Trane Energy Efficiency
Leader in Education Award" for its sustainable energy and operational
efficiency improvements. The award recognizes the importance of the upgrades
and the district's commitment to energy efficiency and environmental
responsibility.
-- Details of the award presentation: Dave Savage, account manager,
Trane,
and Kevin Hubert, general manager, Trane, will present the award to
Connie Yingling, president, Mason City Schools Board of Education, and
fellow board members.

-- The awards presentation will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 17 in the Harvard
Room, Mason High School, 6100 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason, Ohio.

Energy Efficiency Drives Improvements
Administrators selected the ice storage system because ice storage reduces
energy costs by shifting peak cooling loads to off-peak hours. Off-peak
electricity is less expensive, and because the most efficient power plants are
running during off-peak hours, there are substantial environmental benefits as
well. Systems like this have been recognized for improving the reliability of
the electricity grid by shifting peak cooling loads from periods of high
demand to periods of low demand.

To help ensure that building systems are well-controlled and only used when
school is in session, the district is also installing high-performance
building controls and a new air handling system to evenly and efficiently move
the cool air around the building.

About Mason City Schools
The Mason City School District ranks sixth out of more than 600 Ohio districts
for overall academic performance. Mason City Schools earned 30 out of 30
standards on the 2008-09 State Report Card. This "perfect" score put the
district in an elite category 10 years in a row. Mason City Schools educate
over 11,000 students in an early childhood center (pre-K, K-first), two
elementary schools (second-third), an intermediate campus (fourth-sixth), a
middle school (seventh-eighth) and a high school (ninth-12th). All five
eligible schools are recognized as Ohio Schools of Excellence, and have met
adequate yearly progress in every category. Mason High school is a four-year
public high school accredited by the North Central Association.

About Trane
Trane, a business of Ingersoll Rand - the world leader in creating and
sustaining safe, comfortable and energy efficient environments - improves the
performance of homes and buildings around the world. Trane solutions optimize
indoor environments with a broad portfolio of energy efficient heating,
ventilating and air conditioning systems, building and contracting services,
parts support and advanced controls for homes and commercial buildings. For
more information, visit www.Trane.com.

SOURCE Trane

Joan Schimml, +1-651-407-3897, joan.schimml@trane.com