By Town Crier Staff Report

Georgina Blach Intermediate School is the first pilot school built in California since the two-year-old non-profit group Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) developed the energy- saving standards for the design and construction of a new generation of California schools.

Representatives from the collaborative organizations will join in recognizing the model High Performance School at a ceremony scheduled 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, at Blach, 1120 Covington Road. Tours showcasing the innovations in energy efficiency, air quality and lighting incorporated into Blach’s renovation will follow the program.

Superintendent Delaine Eastin will represent the California Department of Education; Vice President Beverly Z. Alexander, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Supervisor Liz Kniss of District 6, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors; Superintendent Margaret Gratiot, the Los Altos School District; and CHPS Representative Daryl Mills, the California Energy Commission.

California schools spend $750 million a year on energy costs - more than the cost of books and supplies combined.

Schools that utilize CHPS practices can qualify for incentives from PG&E’s Savings By Design Program. Blach school received over $18,000 in incentives and design assistance and will save approximately $12,000 a year on energy costs.

The district will receive funding from PG&E’s Energy Design Resources Program for participating in the Pilot Program and Case Study. The newly constructed portion of the school exceeds Title 24 energy code standards by more than 20 percent.

For information on Savings By Design, logon to www.savingsbydesign.com; for information on other PG&E programs, logon to www.pge.com; for information on CHPS, logon to www.chps.net.