The Berkeley County School District has been awarded $711,992 in federal energy stimulus funds by the South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office.

The district will install energy efficiency control systems in Stratford High School, Cross Elementary School, St. Stephens Middle School, H.E. Bonner Elementary School, Howe Hall AIMS, Marrington Elementary School and Marrington Middle School. Stratford High School and Sedgefield Middle School will also receive upgrades to their heating and air conditioning systems. Lighting fixtures will be upgraded at Stratford High School, Berkeley Middle Annex and Devon Forest Elementary School.

 “This award will allow Berkeley County School District to make improvements district-wide, leading to significant savings for taxpayers,” said John Clark, director of the South Carolina Energy Office. “The district will save more than $144,000 annually in energy costs.”

The state’s 85 school districts are sharing $20.3 million in grants and loans for energy efficiency.  The state’s two- and four-year colleges are receiving a total of $12.2 million, and state agencies are getting $7.4 million for energy efficiency improvements.