ABM Creates Projected Savings of $7.8 Million for McKeesport Area School District and Improves Educational and Athletic Facilities

NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ABM (NYSE: ABM), a leading provider of facility solutions, announced the initiation of an Energy Performance Contracting program for McKeesport Area School District (MASD), located in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. By creating projected savings of $7.8 million in energy and operating costs, ABM’s custom solution empowers MASD leadership to reallocate funds to critical improvements for their learning environment, including indoor air quality.

“To really help schools today, facility solutions have to also be funding solutions,” said Scott Giacobbe, ABM’s Chief Revenue Officer. “I’m proud of our teams’ ability to find opportunities for energy and operational savings, and then use that to improve learning spaces within a model of good fiscal stewardship, like we were able to do with McKeesport.”

The main facility of McKeesport Area High School was completed in 1961 without air conditioning. Installing a new HVAC system to improve ventilation, temperature, and humidity control required engineers to design a custom facility retrofit.

In addition to energy savings and operational cost reductions from improved lighting, HVAC, and building control systems throughout the district, the project enabled improvements for both athletic and STEM facilities. Renovations to four science labs included exhaust hoods and other safety equipment. The new track surface reasserts McKeesport’s eligibility to host track meets, including WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League) events.

ABM’s Energy Performance Contracting Program enables a school system to invest in critical facility upgrades without drawing new capital from the community. The program is designed to drive costs out of a district’s operating budget, redirecting savings to fund critical facility needs and educational initiatives. ABM works with more than 500 K-12 school systems, colleges, and universities throughout the U.S. This video outlines how ABM provides a way to empower investment in educational facilities without upfront costs or tax increases.

“MASD utilized ABM to make much needed upgrades to several of our facilities,” said Dr. Mark P. Holtzman, Jr., Superintendent of McKeesport Area School District. “Those improvements allow us to continue to provide a first-class experience on our campuses for our students and staff inside and outside of our classrooms.”

McKeesport Area School District serves approximately 3,200 students from Pre-K through 12th grade for the communities of McKeesport, Dravosburg, White Oak, Versailles, and South Versailles. The project provided upgrades for every school and McKeesport Stadium, helping to improve educational equity across the district. Highlights include the following energy conservation measures and upgrades for educational and athletic spaces: