Thrifty Homes Cut $200,000 From Billings

Hawaiian Electric Co. presented $10,000 to Kamiloiki Elementary, Home Energy Challenge winner for 2012-2013, in May with (from left) HECO executive vice president Robbie Alm, students Ashton Ashi-mine, Blakely Bierwert and Michol Young; HECO's Sam Nichols, principal Susan Okano, student Shelby Boyd, teacher and Challenge coordinator Joanne Boyd, and HECO's Kaiulani de Silva. Photo from HECO.

With careful monitoring and waste-free practices, Kamiloiki Elementary School claimed the $10,000 first prize in Hawaiian Electric Co.’s latest Home Energy Challenge.

The contest had students from 12 elementary schools and their families conserve energy from October through March of this school year with a combined savings of nearly 578,800 kilowatt-hours, which represents a cut of nearly $200,000 in electric bills, according to HECO.

“Teaching children and their families about taking care of the environment by not wasting electricity is the main goal of Home Energy Challenge,” explained Kaiulani de Silva, HECO’s education and consumer affairs director. “And everyone wins when good energy conservation practices become an everyday habit.”

To level the playing field, HECO awarded its top prizes to the schools whose students’ average home energy use decreased by the largest percentage. Nuuanu was second with a $6,000 prize, and Mililani Mauka third for $3,000.

For information on the upcoming competition for 2013-2014, call Sam Nichols at 543-7511.