Our nation's K-12 schools are challenged to serve
growing student populations and rising community expectations with
aging buildings, constrained operating budgets, and ever-increasing
energy bills. Each year, taxpayers spend $6 billion on energy for
these schools—about 25 percent more than necessary. That $1.5
billion could be redirected to hire 30,000 new teachers or purchase
40 million new textbooks annually.
The Good News?
Energy-smart building choices can help school districts save big
on utility bills and maintenance costs. Even better, many of the
same improvements that help to lower a school's energy consumption
also serve to improve the classroom environment, removing noisy,
inefficient heating and cooling systems, inadequate lights, and
ventilation systems that don't restrict indoor contaminants. In
fact, studies show a connection between the use of daylighting and
improved student performance. Recent studies conducted by the California
Board of Energy Efficiency, involving 21,000 students, shows test
scores were 15% to 26% higher in classrooms with daylighting. For
more on integrating
energy-efficient technologies in your school building design,
visit the Building Toolbox section of this site.
New high-performance schools—designed to save energy and
reduce environmental impact—can cost 50% less to operate than
traditionally designed schools. High performance school designs
integrate efficient lighting and daylighting systems, advanced windows,
roofing, insulation, and mechanical and ventilation systems, as
well as renewable energy systems, water conservation features, recycling
and waste management systems, and use of environmentally-sensitive
building products and systems. As an added bonus, teachers can incorporate
their school's energy features into their curriculum, providing
students with hands-on learning opportunities about energy and the
environment.
Energy-efficient renovations—replacement of inefficient boilers,
lighting, and other systems—can save up to 30% annually. Many
school districts target their most inefficient systems first, and
then use the energy savings to fund additional capital improvements.
For immediate savings, schools can implement no-cost or low-cost
solutions and realize savings up of 10% or more. Controls like programmable
thermostats and occupancy
sensors can help to reduce energy consumption in unoccupied
classrooms or infrequently used areas like auditoriums. Schools
can also implement energy awareness programs to encourage facilities
staff, faculty, and students to change their energy behavior. Even
simple changes like turning off lights and computers in unoccupied
rooms, establishing regular preventive maintenance schedules for
building systems, or turning thermostats up or down over holiday
breaks can make a significant impact on a school's utility bills.
