A critical element in any effort to promote a low carbon world is the engagement of all users and stakeholders in the mission. Across the world students are demanding action to reduce the threats of climate change. To engage our next generation of environmental stewards, schools are ideally positioned to respond and drive this cultural shift.

Presenters will dive deep into examples of projects that highlight the keys to success, illustrating the synergies between high performance and progressive learning environments. Join our presenters as they discuss this path to zero and showcase approaches that have realized utility cost savings of over $3.5M. Capital costs, cost savings, and funding sources will be described, as well as the district’s next moves to carry the school district through the next 30-50 years.

The role of buildings in the grid is changing as historic grid infrastructure strains to handle more centralized and distributed renewables, electric vehicles, and smart systems. NBI and USGBC are leading the GridOptimal Buildings Initiative, a collaborative project bringing together a wide range of organizations interested in optimizing building performance to promote grid integration. The first GridOptimal pilot project has recently been completed, at the headquarters office building of Sonoma Clean Power. The design team will share how new considerations, such as hourly marginal carbon emissions, impacted the design process. Presenters will share key outcomes and lessons learned from this first pilot project.

This one-hour webinar will highlight two projects that demonstrate the proof-of concept in zero energy school construction: P.S. 62 – the Kathleen Grimm School in Staten Island, NY and John J. Sbrega Health & Science Building at the Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA. This webinar will weave the experiences and lessons learned of districts and technical experts as they share resources, tools, and steps to success in designing, constructing and operating school facilities to an ultra-low energy target and adding renewable systems to offset their annual consumption.

The path to zero energy school construction can be a daunting one. Some issues may seem overwhelming such as, how do you pay for it? Financing renewable energy solutions and energy storage can be the key to a project’s economic viability and achieving the zero energy goal. In this one-hour webinar, hear how energy managers, sustainability professionals, energy consultants, and solar-plus-storage providers assessed various financing options from financiers. Financial instruments considered include tax-exempt leases, sale-leaseback, partnership-flip, and cash purchase scenarios. Attendees will learn about cost effective methods to improve energy efficiency, cost-saving methods to procure renewable energy and evaluating life cycle costs in buildings.