The South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office has awarded Horry County Schools $598,712 in federal stimulus funds to install occupancy sensors in schools district-wide.

The school district will install light sensors at 1651 locations in 49 schools served by Santee Cooper.

“By installing occupancy sensors throughout Horry County Schools, the district will be able to better monitor its energy use,” said John Clark, director of the South Carolina Energy Office. “This award will significantly lower energy bills for the district while helping the schools use energy efficiently.”

Occupancy sensors can significantly reduce energy costs by adjusting energy use to the needs of the building’s tenants. Lights will be turned off in unoccupied rooms, saving the district significant amounts of energy. The school district will save more than $289,000 annually on its energy bill. 

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.