A community college in Florida is reporting success with its new four-day work week.

Due to energy savings by lowering the air conditioner during the week and shutting down the school on Fridays, Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Florida, was able to hire 10 full-time faculty members with the money, according to CNN.

A year ago, as energy costs headed up and the school faced cuts in state funding, college President James Drake, who drives a hybrid, decided to give the shortened workweek a try.

It worked out better than anyone could have imagined, Drake says.

"If it weren't for the savings that we have netted from energy management and the four-day workweek, we would not have been able to do several of the vital things that are going to help us attract and retain even more students," Drake said.

Brevard Community College began the four-day workweek during the 2007 summer session. The following fall and spring, it added a half-day but then went back to the four-day work week again this summer.

Over that year-long period, by closing on Fridays and turning down the air conditioning and heating systems, the college saved $267,000 in energy costs. The savings allowed Brevard to hire 10 full-time faculty members with the money.

The students at the school -- one who was a single mom -- also expressed enthusiasm for the shortened work week because they have saved transportation and childcare costs. But due to the longer work days, the school is letting staff with children leave early or arrive late because finding extended childcare is a problem. Employer flexibility is key to this arrangement.

Still, two other unexpected pluses from the four-day work week: Staff turnover was stymied and worker absenteeism almost non-existent. Employers take note.