2024/2025 Recognition
2024-2025 Efficient and Healthy Schools Program Recognition
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Efficient and Healthy Schools Program (EHSP) aims to recognize schools and districts for improving their energy performance, advancing resilience, and promoting a healthy learning environment.
We invite you to join a growing network of schools, school districts, and organizations applying for the recognition!
Apply Now! The submission deadline is December 20th 2024.
See slides from our recent webinar and our shareable recognition factsheet to learn more!
Join us on November 14th at 11am Pacific | 2pm Eastern for our upcoming webinar:
Bright Futures - Technologies Transforming Schools
Join the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program on November 14th 11am Pacific | 2pm Eastern to learn about how two school districts have successfully implemented new technologies that have transformed their schools. Hamilton Southeastern Schools (Indiana), a 2023-2024 recognition honoree will share their innovative solar project and integration with their curriculum. You will also learn from Los Angeles Unified School District (California), a participant of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Commercial Building Heat Pump Campaign that is installing heat pumps to transition to all electric heating and cooling. This is a great opportunity to get inspired about innovative approaches and apply for our 2024-2025 recognition.
Register for the webinar today!
Emerging and exemplary schools and districts will be recognized in the following categories:
Data Detective
Honoring schools and districts who demonstrate best practices to assess, benchmark, and utilize building data to prioritize school improvements.
Retrofit Revolutionary
Honoring schools and districts that showcase exemplary retrofit projects to improve energy efficiency, resilience, and promote a healthy learning environment.
Performance Pro
Honoring schools and districts who strive for continuous improvement through operations and maintenance (O&M) activities, performance evaluation, and retro commissioning (RCx).
Solutions Strategist
Honoring schools and districts who develop plans and make committed goals to advance district initiatives that achieve sustained and long-term improvements of their school buildings.
Support we provide for schools and districts:
- One-on-one technical assistance.
- Cohorts to provide opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.
- Mentorship from previous recognition honorees.
- Tailored and packaged resources to help implement projects.
Apply Now! The submission deadline is December 20th 2024.
Program Kickoff Webinar - October 9th
Join the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program team on October 9th to learn about our 2024–2025 recognition program. The program is a great opportunity to showcase national leadership that prioritizes students and staff by addressing energy efficiency and health in school buildings.
Benefits of Recognition Include:
Want to see projects from previous year's honorees?
In 2023-2024, the program recognized 13 K-12 schools and districts serving over 670,000 students in 12 states. These schools and districts achieved substantial energy savings and greatly improved the learning environment through indoor air quality, lighting, and building control improvements. The honorees include a diversity of schools leading the way, from schools in urban cities to others that serve our rural communities. See their success stories and examples. Image: Lansing Public School District MI, Solutions Strategist Honoree.
To learn more, contact us at schools@lbl.gov.
See more details about inspiring projects below!
Retrofit Revolutionary: In 2020, Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) undertook a massive project encompassing a suite of measures at Park Middle School, originally constructed in 1926. This work, funded from a $290 million bond covering a variety of LPS projects, sought to address a variety of thermal comfort issues and better control of air contaminants. This project builds on a 20+ year foundation of innovative design and high performing buildings led by the LPS Director of Operations. See the case study.
Performance Pro: In 2019, Katy Independent School District, in Katy, Texas, set out on a course to systematically upgrade the aging Building Management Control Systems (BMCS) district wide. BMCS replacements and upgrades have been applied to over 6 million square feet of conditioned space and 44 facilities over the past four years, with the goal of upgrading all schools. Each upgrade includes upgraded hardware and application of a standardized, enhanced sequence of operations and graphics that prioritize efficiency while maintaining proper ventilation rates. See the case study.
Data Detective: Boston Public Schools (BPS) is committed to providing high-performing school buildings and grounds that have healthy indoor air quality. In November 2020, the BPS Facilities Management Mechanical Engineer and Sustainability, Energy, Environment Program developed an request for proposal (RFP) for vendors to provide indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring. The RFP included system requirements and the scope of requested services. In January 2022, the BPS Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Program launched the IAQ Monitoring System across all BPS schools. See the case study.
Solutions Strategist: In April 2023, Bellingham Public Schools (BPS) released a draft of the district’s first five-year Climate Action Plan. BPS has been taking steps to reduce the environmental impact of their buildings and operations since the early 2000s. The first capital projects bond to include energy efficiency upgrades was passed by the community in November 2013, and since then, BPS has steadily adopted other practices such as Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol standards and programmable LED lighting. BPS is also enrolled in the Energy Conservation Services Management Program with their local utility. See the case study.