Don’t let the brand-new buildings and high-tech classrooms fool you: Swan Falls High School has deep connections to the past. Named after nearby Swan Falls Dam, the high school has honored its connection to the history of the area with an impressive commitment to its future — through energy efficiency.

Opened in the fall of 2020, the new high school serves as a satellite campus for Career Technical Education programs in the Kuna School District. It was built to meet community needs in the areas of health, construction and automotive training.

It was also built with energy efficiency at the forefront. Idaho Power’s New Construction and Major Renovations program worked with the district to help them save energy and money. The program provides cash incentives to businesses that design and build energy-saving features that exceed building codes into their new construction or major renovation project.

The building features a reflective roof, efficient HVAC and efficient LED classroom lights with occupancy sensors. Common areas have LED lighting with daylight sensors that respond to the natural light provided by strategically placed windows. Efficient windows have been a big boost for the school.

“We’re able to have a lot of windows. The natural light for students is so crucial, not only for creating a positive energy in the school, but also for providing natural light in the classroom. It creates a nice learning environment for students,” said Lead Building Administrator Robbie Reno.

It’s also creating valuable savings for the district. These extra energy efficiency measures will save the district 288,635 kilowatt hours per year, enough to power more than 25 average homes in Idaho Power’s service area. The efforts also earned the district nearly $60,000 in incentives. Those benefits go beyond the new school.

“The savings that Idaho Power provides for us, we’re able to reinvest it into our other schools. A lot of our schools were built in the 50s, 60s and 70s, so we’re using those savings to target retrofits of lighting and energy efficiency in those buildings,” said Reno.

An incentive is also available for the third-party architect or engineer that supports the participant with the technical aspects of the project and the required supporting documentation that is necessary to complete the incentive process. The professional is eligible for an incentive equal to 20% of the participant’s total incentive, up to a maximum of $5,000.

“We’d just like to thank Idaho Power for their support and their continued partnership because we will add on to this building and look forward to working together on the new addition,” said Reno.

If you’d like to learn more about energy efficiency incentives, visit idahopower.com/business.