Construction documents are complete for multimillion dollar renovations to Lehighton Area School District's middle and high schools, and the projects could go out to bid in May.

A construction workshop Monday night featured an update of the two projects, both of which are proposed to achieve LEED gold certification for energy efficiency."We'll be asking the board for approval of PlanCon Part F and are working with our architect, EI Associates, and construction manager, Quandel Construction Group, to get a budget estimate to the board," Lehighton Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said. "We've given estimates before, but this will have everything line itemed. Again, it doesn't lock the board into anything."PlanCon is an acronym for Planning and Construction Workbook and Part F is the next step in the process of securing state reimbursement dollars for the projects.It authorizes a district to receive bids and enter into construction contracts.On Monday, the district dropped off specifications and plans with Lehighton Borough's building code officer. Cleaver said the borough would determine whether the plans are up to code.According to a project timeline, both could go out to bid in May, with bids received in June.Estimates Lehighton already submitted to the state were a base cost of $10.92 million for the middle school and $9.4 million for the high school.A number of alternates were listed for both projects, and if all were selected, the estimates jump to $11.8 million at the middle school and $11.55 million at the high school.Estimates include Alternative and Clean Energy Program grants for both projects. Lehighton received $1.45 million for the middle school and $1.065 million for the high school.Middle school project highlights include moving the cafeteria from the basement to the first floor, renovating the auditorium, moving the student dining area and media center to where the existing administrative offices are located, moving the offices across the corridor to the front of the building facing the parking lot, and adding a secure entrance that has visitors enter the main office before being admitted to the rest of the school.The project also includes a roof replacement, mechanical system overhaul and exterior window and door replacement.Alternates for the project include double-tier lockers, new auditorium seats, a student dining patio, replacement casework in the science laboratories, and new rigging, lighting and sound equipment in the auditorium.One decision still up in the air as of Monday was whether the school's roofing membrane would be black or white. Currently, the roof is white."In terms of location, we're really right on that geographic line as far as which is more beneficial," said Andrew Blaydon, of EI Associates. "White reflects heat, while black retains it. If this school was in the south, I would say definitely go with white, if it were further north, I would say definitely black. But overall, you have more heating days here, so it is currently black on the plans."Cleaver said the district is planning on installing a new type of light throughout the middle school.It is a Phillips LED light, which teachers can dim in the front of the room during presentations, while leaving more light over the students so they can do their work."There are studies out there showing this light is better than the current fluorescent lights," Cleaver said. "The new light disperses down at 180 degrees instead of straight down, so we won't need as many fixtures in our classrooms. That means more energy savings and less maintenance."The new LED light and fixture costs $165, while a fluorescent light and fixture runs between $200 and $205."It's a cheaper light and we're getting greater payback on energy savings."Gatter and Diehl, engineering consultants, produced an energy model for Lehighton that estimates the district will see a 33 percent reduction in energy use at the middle school as a result of the complete proposed renovation.