An energy enhancement to the Atlanta Public School facilities means schoolchildren will be even warmer in the winter and cooler in late spring due to a new Energy Conservation program with Southern Company Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of Southern Company, and their partner, CES/Way.

Atlanta Public Schools have selected Southern Company Energy Solutions and CES/Way to implement the energy conservation program for 15 of its schools as one phase of the comprehensive program. The energy efficiency upgrades will include modernizing the lighting and upgrading the heating and air conditioning systems.

Atlanta Public School board members are slated to officially approve the contract in the spring of this year and begin construction in late spring or summer.

This project will benefit the selected schools by reducing the overall energy costs at each facility. The schools will save money from their operating budgets while improving the environmental comfort level at the same time.

“This energy efficiency program will optimize the school’s existing budget and provide a better environment—in terms of temperature, humidity, and air quality—for the schoolchildren. We view our role as a responsible community citizen seriously, and this program reflects our commitment to education,” said Mike Ellis, general manager of Southern Company Energy Solutions.

“This program affords us an excellent opportunity to integrate energy management into our overall construction, renovation, and maintenance programs. We anticipate the improvement of the learning and instructional environment for our students, teachers and administration,” said Valerie Thomas, director of facility planning for Atlanta Public Schools.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CES/Way specializes in the evaluation, design, engineering, construction and management of energy savings projects for K-12 school districts, the federal government, U.S. military, colleges and universities, hospitals, municipalities, state government and private industry. In January, 1998, CES/Way became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sempra Energy Solutions, the unregulated retail marketing arm of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) – a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.

Southern Company Energy Solutions offers customized, total energy solutions from standard energy-related products and services and long-term performance based contracts to on-site energy management.

Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an international energy company with $35 billion in assets through regional utilities and operations around the world. It is the largest producer of electricity in the United States and one of the world’s largest independent power producers. Based in Atlanta, Southern Company is the parent firm of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power and Savannah Electric. Through its Southern Energy Inc. subsidiary, Southern Company supplies electricity in 10 countries on four continents. It also provides energy-related marketing, trading and technical services and Southern LINC wireless telecommunications.

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