Home
Welcome to The Efficient and Healthy Schools Program
The Efficient and Healthy Schools Program (EHSP) aims to engage K-12 schools to improve energy performance and indoor air quality, with a focus on practical solutions involving HVAC and other technologies to reduce energy use and advance resilience. This program is led by the U.S. Department of Energy with technical support from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and New Buildings Institute.
Join Today
Joining the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program is easy and free.
We invite you to join a growing network of schools, school districts, and supporting organizations in the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program. The program aims to improve energy performance, advance resilience, and promote a healthy learning environment in schools.
Options once you join the program include: regular working groups, peer-to-peer discussions, and technical support on practical solutions that improve energy performance, reduce carbon emissions and promote a healthy learning environment in your school. Join us!
Upcoming Events
Webinar on Building Commissioning: Turning Good Intentions Into Great Operations
January 22nd, 2025 2pm ET | Registration
On January 22nd from 11am PT | 2pm ET, join the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program and the Renew America's Schools Program to learn about the importance of commissioning new systems to ensure that they function properly. Commissioning is the key to making sure that schools get what they paid for before project turnover and while equipment is still within the warranty period. Learn from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory experts about the steps of proper commissioning: documentation, verification procedures, functional performance tests, validation, and training. This webinar will share resources that schools can rely on when planning for commissioning. Attendees will also hear from IDEA Public Schools (Texas) about how they instituted a new policy to engage an independent third-party commissioning agent (CxA) and found significant improvements.
Announcements
2025 Renew America's Schools Prize
The U.S. Department of Energy has opened applications for the $90 million 2025 Renew America's Schools Prize, which will fund energy assessments and building improvements as K-12 public schools across America. The 2025 Prize calls on Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and their stakeholders to from partnerships, build portfolios of school facilities in need of investment, and develop strategic plans for pursuing infrastructure upgrades that will improve indoor air quality, build healthier learning environments, and improve overall energy performance - reducing energy use and costs. Submissions for the 2025 Prize are due on Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 at 5pm ET. Read more here!
ASHRAE Schools Partnership Program
ASHRAE is working on a multi-pronged effort to support ASHRAE Chapters to reach out to their local schools to share technical information on improving energy and indoor air quality. Currently, 14 Pilot ASHRAE Chapters have signed up. The program intends to engage with schools especially in disadvantaged or rural communities. Interested in being a part of this program? Learn more!
Interested in finding out more?
Please contact the Efficient and Healthy Schools team via email at schools@lbl.gov.