BALTIMORE -- Baltimore city is working on implementing small ways to conserve energy in the midst of the tough economic times.

Tim Tooten Reports

The city has the oldest school buildings in the state and it would cost more than $1 billion to fix all of them, school officials said.

In the last year alone, the city pumped millions of dollars into new, smaller boilers as one way of cutting energy costs. The district also installed remote temperature control systems in schools throughout the city.

"We can go in, look at the school and see what the ventilation systems are doing. We have alarms that are set up that e-mail or call us to let us know if we have a problem," said engineer Rob Rippee.

The Collington Square school building is one of many examples where engineers can help cut costs off-site.

"These systems -- how they are designed is at night when no one is in the building, it'll go into night mode to which it will either raise or lower the temperature, depending on the time of the year. It'll shut down equipment that's not needed," Rippee said.

Beyond the expected savings, school administrators said that replacing the ventilation system and installing new windows has already made a difference at the school.

"The temperature is controlled externally and it adjusts automatically, so yes, it's a pleasant environment within the building," said Collington Square Principal D'Andrea Chapman.

The district said it may take some time before it sees the savings on paper but said there is already proof that the energy program is working.

"We are saving. We are also reducing consumption, and that's really the big thing because we don't control the cost so we have to control consumption, and that's what this whole program is all about," said city schools Chief Operating Officer Keith Scroggins.

Within the year, every school in the system will be equipped with off-site monitors that are designed to help save energy, school officials said.