CLEAR LAKE — A roof restoration and solar project at Clear Creek Elementary School came in more than $601,000 below its original $2 million budget, according to project partners, while positioning the Clear Lake Community School District to reduce future electricity costs.
The project covered approximately 107,000 square feet of aging roofing and combined a roof restoration system with solar generation. Rather than replace sections of the roof over several years, the district pursued a coordinated approach to its building and energy needs.
Now, the collaboration involving dGEN Energy Partners and Sherwin-Williams Roofing Solutions has received recognition through the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association’s 2026 Project of the Year awards program.
Project costs came in below roofing budget
According to financial figures supplied by the project partners, the completed work cost $1,398,936 compared with the original roofing budget of approximately $2 million — a difference of $601,064, or about 30 percent.
The companies also reported $747,372 in incentives and financial offsets associated with the installation.
The project’s estimated cost recovery period is 10.6 years through projected energy savings. That figure is a forecast of future savings, rather than money the district has already recovered through lower utility bills.
The roofing system carries a 20-year warranty.
Work took place during summer break, limiting disruption to students, teachers and school operations, according to the release.
Restoring the roof while planning for solar
The project used Sherwin-Williams Roofing Solutions’ UNIFLEX fluid-applied roofing system to restore the existing roof rather than undertake a conventional replacement.
dGEN evaluated the building’s energy use, developed the solar strategy and helped analyze project costs and available incentives.
“Clear Lake had a significant roofing expense ahead of them,” said Walt Jordan, dGEN Energy Partners’ chief revenue officer. “Instead of looking at the roof as one problem and energy costs as another, we looked at how those decisions could work together.”
Jordan said combining the work produced a more comprehensive solution with financial benefits for the district.
For Clear Lake, the approach allowed the school district to address the full roof while incorporating electricity generation into the same infrastructure project.
A local example of coordinating school building improvements
The project offers other North Iowa school districts and public building owners an example of evaluating roof repairs and energy investments together before committing to major construction expenses.
The financial case depends on the building, the condition of its existing roof, energy consumption and the incentives available for a particular installation.
“Not every building needs the same solution,” Jordan said. “The first step is understanding what the facility needs, what the owner is trying to accomplish and what the numbers actually support. The technology should follow the problem.”
The Clear Lake project’s reported results combine a lower initial construction cost, financial offsets and anticipated utility savings. Its longer-term performance will depend on how those energy savings compare with the projections.
