The Chester County School District has been awarded $180,000 in federal economic stimulus funds by the South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office to make energy efficiency improvements.

The district will install and upgrade existing heating and air conditioning energy efficiency control systems in Great Fall High School, install control systems to monitor outdoor lighting energy use throughout the district, and upgrade lighting fixtures at Chester Park Elementary School.

“All schools in Chester County School District will benefit from this grant as the district makes upgrades throughout the county,” said John Clark, director of the South Carolina Energy Office. “The district will save more than $25,000 annually.”

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.  Each entity’s allocation is based on the size of the organization’s energy bill.