PSFA M&V Pilot Program: Powering Smarter, Sustainable Schools

Overview

New Mexico’s Public School Facilities Authority (PSFA) launched the Measurement & Verification (M&V) Pilot Program to help school districts manage energy and water more efficiently. With utilities as the second-highest operating expense after salaries, the initiative empowers schools to track real-time performance, identify inefficiencies, and reduce costs—all while promoting sustainability and student learning.

Program at a Glance

• Launched: 2024
• Connected Facilities: 166 buildings
• Total Square Footage: 8.47 million sq. ft.
• School Districts: 5 (Bernalillo, Farmington, Gallup-McKinley, Hobbs, Los Lunas)
• Utility Accounts: 1,580
• Real-Time Meters: 71
• Annual Utility Costs Represented: $10 million

Program Goals

• Energy Conservation & Cost Savings: Provide districts with data-driven tools to monitor and reduce energy, gas, and water use.
• Education: Integrate real-time energy and water data into STEM classrooms.
• Research & Benchmarking: Build a robust statewide database for continuous learning and comparison.

Results at a Glance

The program’s first year connected five pilot districts with automated data and fault analytics, sending instant alerts for water leaks, peak demand spikes, and high usage events.

• Total Avoided Cost Impact (Annualized): $378,401
• Electricity Usage Change: ↓ 0.15%
• Gas Usage Change: ↑ 11.89% (weather-related)
• Water Usage Change: ↓ 5.42%

The initiative enables “data-to-decision” actions in minutes, not months—helping schools optimize operations, reduce waste, and comply with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

District Success Highlights

Hobbs Municipal Schools

• Water Leak Prevention:
  A leak at Murray Elementary was detected and fixed within minutes, avoiding over 1.6 million gallons in annual waste and $21,000+ in costs.
• Hot Water System Failure:
  Detected abnormal gas usage and resolved within days, saving over 8,300 MMBTU annually.
• Peak Demand Optimization:
  Adjusted HVAC startup sequences to reduce district-wide electricity demand charges.

Farmington Municipal Schools

• Hermosa Middle School Leak:
  Automated alerts identified a water issue, saving an estimated 3.2 million gallons and $10,000+ per year.

Gallup-McKinley County Schools

• Weekend Energy Waste Reduction:
  Scheduling adjustments stopped unnecessary Saturday operations—significantly cutting energy consumption.

Quantified Savings Highlights

• Santo Domingo Water Main Break – Avoided over $150,000 in annual costs through early leak detection.
• Hobbs Peak Demand Reduction – Adjusted HVAC equipment schedules, saving an estimated $70,000 per year.
• Murray Elementary (Hobbs) – Prevented 1.6 million gallons of water waste, avoiding roughly $21,000 in annual costs.
• Hermosa Middle School (Farmington) – Detected and repaired a water leak that could have cost $10,000 per year.
• Winter & Spring Break Savings – Automated system shutdowns during breaks saved approximately $87,000 annually.
• Automated Utility Bill Upload – Eliminated manual data entry, saving about $24,000 in annual labor costs.

Total Annual Avoided Cost: Approximately $380,000 across participating districts.

‍STEM Education in Action

PSFA’s M&V platform includes interactive dashboards and built-in STEM quizzes that allow students to visualize real-world energy and water data.
Teachers use live performance metrics to teach sustainability, data analysis, and engineering concepts directly tied to their schools.

Data-Driven Insights

• Automated Utility Bill Uploads: AI-assisted imports replace manual data entry, saving districts hours each month.
• Data Correction & Auditing: Historical gas data errors were corrected automatically during onboarding.
• Advanced Benchmarking: The platform builds a first-of-its-kind database for energy and water performance in public schools statewide.

Voices from the Field

“The PSFA M&V Program helps us identify waste and act quickly. Peak demand alerts allowed us to adjust HVAC systems and reduce costs across all schools.”
— Shawn Drake, Director of Energy, Hobbs Municipal Schools

“We’re integrating PSFA’s M&V tools into all future projects to ensure real-time reporting becomes standard.”
— Aaron Cook, Director of Facilities, Gallup-McKinley County Schools

Looking Ahead

The PSFA M&V Program is creating a new standard for sustainable school operations—combining advanced data analytics, education, and research to make every New Mexico classroom more efficient, comfortable, and environmentally responsible.

PSFA Mission:

Through efficient use of state and local resources, NMPSFA supports our school communities in providing quality, sustainable, safe, and adequately equipped facilities that enhance educational outcomes.

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