WWW.MSPMA.COM | 29 From Deferred Maintenance to Long-Term Strategy Missouri districts are grappling with aging buildings, deferred maintenance, and volatile utility costs at the same time they are expected to provide healthier and more reliable learning environments. Many facilities still depend on legacy boilers or rooftop units that are expensive to maintain and increasingly vulnerable during extreme weather. Performance contracting, where an energy services partner guarantees savings and uses those avoided costs to pay for improvements, is a proven way to bundle HVAC, controls, lighting, and envelope upgrades into one integrated, budget‑neutral program. Why Geothermal Fits K–12 Campuses Ground‑source geothermal heat pump systems leverage the stable temperature of the earth rather than fluctuating outdoor air, which can significantly reduce energy consumption. For schools, the benefits include lower and more predictable utility costs, longer equipment lifespans, and improved comfort and indoor air quality. Historically, higher first cost was a barrier, but IRA Direct Pay and performance contracting now allow districts to offset a large portion of upfront investments while locking in long‑term savings. Springfield Public Schools: Scaling Geothermal with IRA Springfield Public Schools offers a leading example of how a district can use IRA Direct Pay to accelerate geothermal adoption. Working with Veregy, Springfield implemented its first geothermal ground‑source heat pump project and received a $4,129,879 reimbursement check from the federal government. The district used those funds for a Phase 2 Veregy project completed in August 2026, expanding geothermal HVAC to additional campuses. That Phase 2 project is expected to qualify for an additional $5+ million in IRA Direct Pay funding. Combined, Springfield is on track to secure more than $9.2 million in Direct Pay benefits for geothermal investments with Veregy. Branson R‑IV: Phased Improvements and IRA Rebates Branson R‑IV School District illustrates how a phased, master‑planned approach can steadily modernize facilities while capturing IRA value along the way. Serving roughly 4,800 students, Branson partnered with Veregy beginning in 2015 to develop master plans and implement a multi‑phase, guaranteed performance contract program totaling more than $26 million in improvements. Early phases focused on roofing, rooftop unit replacement, building automation, and renovations to reduce maintenance costs and increase reliability. As Branson expanded into geothermal and advanced controls, the district was able to tap IRA Geothermal Investment Tax Credits for multiple phases. To date, Veregy’s geothermal system improvements in Branson have received more than $4 million in federal IRA tax credits across two project phases. These incentives support a long‑term strategy that includes new geothermal wells, LED lighting upgrades, and system integration designed to strengthen comfort, efficiency, and resilience districtwide. Tarkio R-I: Smaller Districts Benefit the Same as Larger Ones Tarkio’s mechanical system had never operated properly, often forcing the district to cancel school during the cold winter months because its buildings could not be adequately heated. The district was also spending an average of five figures annually on maintenance and repair calls. With funding available through the IRA, Veregy designed and installed a geothermal system to replace the aging VRF system. Since the upgrade, the buildings have maintained comfortable temperatures, and the district has not had to cancel school because of mechanical failures. Tarkio also received $1.1 million in IRA Direct Pay funding, reduced its utility costs, and should not need to replace the geothermal heat pumps for approximately 25 years. Serving Missouri Since 1966 636-680-2100 • www.intfs.com » HVAC » Plumbing » Building Automation » Access Controls » Fire Protection » Refrigeration » Energy Services 100% Employee Owned and Operated Tax Credits, continued
View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.