District will install pellet-burning boiler

After two years of discussion and research, the Sisters School District will install a bio-mass pellet boiler at Sisters High School next month.

Installation of the 1.3-million-BTU boiler will start early in May, and the boiler will be operational for the 2011-12 school year. According to district facilities manager Leland Bliss, the new boiler could save the district $35,000 to $50,000 per year in heating costs.

The new boiler will be integrated into the existing heating system and will supply hot water for the main heating system at Sisters High School as well as domestic hot water for the entire building. The district will seek local contracts for pellets and is dedicated to keeping this heating plant as an Oregon project, Bliss noted.

The contractors and boiler manufacturer are local Oregon companies. Labor for this job will be provided by the school district and local contractors.

"The district's overarching goal is to run the most efficient physical plant system possible in order to maximize the amount of school district resources available for teaching staff and improvement of student learning," Bliss stated. "The district is excited to also help the state and local economy in this difficult economic time."