The Pickens County School District has been awarded $393,000 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 highly efficient heating and air conditioning systems at Pickens High School, A.R. Lewis Elementary School and Forest Acres Elementary School. The district will also install a heating and air conditioning energy management control system at Liberty Elementary School.
 
 “This grant will allow Pickens County School District achieve greater energy efficiency as it makes necessary improvements at several schools,” said John Clark, director of the South Carolina Energy Office. “The district will save more than $89,000 annually.”

The state’s 85 school districts are sharing $20.3 million in grants and loans for energy efficiency. The state’s public colleges and universities 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.