Hub: Key Initiatives
Decarbonizing School Buildings a Slow, Steady Process
News / July 24, 2024
Published by Facilities Net: The New Buildings Institute (NBI), which despite its name understands that most school districts can’t tear down their old buildings and replace them with new, fully electric ones, recently hosted a webinar to help facility managers transition...
IDEA Public Schools Named National Leader in Efficient and Healthy Schools Program
News / May 3, 2024
The Efficient and Healthy Schools Program aims to motivate and empower K-12 schools to reduce energy costs and improve energy efficiency, health, and resilience. The program connects schools with practical solutions and provides technical assistance and resources to improve school...
Efficient and Healthy Schools Program Honors Schools for Improving Energy Efficiency & Learning Environments
News / May 3, 2024
Published by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Berkely Lab’s Program team works collaboratively with New Buildings Institute to provide assistance to schools and districts in their submissions for recognition. The team also assisted DOE and one of the Program organizing partners...
3 Energy Efficiency Resources for K-12 Facility Managers
News / May 2, 2024
Published by Facilities Net: Efficiency and Healthy Schools provides technical support and resource guidance to help school districts improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and improve energy performance while providing a healthier learning environment for students… Program participants can lean on...
We can power the homes of the future with electric panels of the past
Post / July 24, 2023
Electrifying and decarbonizing existing buildings is critical to address the climate emergency and is one of the key priorities of leading cities, states, and utilities. Many people assume that to electrify an existing home, an electric panel upgrade from 100...
Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign Recognition Kick Off Webinar
Webinar / November 8, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PST
K-12 schools can gain national recognition for efforts to improve school facilities with the Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign. In this free webinar, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) outline the 2022/23 Recognition program,…
Schools collaborate on the roadmap to zero carbon
Post / October 6, 2021
As we witness the consequences of rapid, widespread and intensifying climate change, our students face the prospect of worsening impacts in the world they will inherit. Students are demanding a more hopeful and sustainable future and are also asking for...
This Earth Day, Every World Leader Should Be Talking About Education
Post / April 19, 2021
On his first day in office, President Biden recommitted the United States to the Paris Agreement, an international effort to address the climate emergency. In rejoining the Paris Agreement, the United States must define and commit to delivering greenhouse gas...
Planning and Design for Getting to Zero in Schools
Webinar / October 8, 2020
Zero energy school construction is a growing trend across the country. An innovative combination of internal and external champions, integrated design, energy efficiency management strategies and renewable energy is making these possible at little to no extra cost. The key…
A Deeper Dive into Zero Net Carbon Schools
Webinar / May 18, 2020
Building on the overview provided in the Zero Net Carbon Schools webinar hosted on April 1, 2020, this 2-hour webinar took place on May 14, 2020. We took a deeper dive into the technical aspects of the process, spheres of…
Planning and Design for Getting to Zero in Schools
Webinar / October 8, 2020 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PDT
Zero energy school construction is a growing trend across the country. An innovative combination of internal and external champions, integrated design, energy efficiency management strategies and renewable energy is making these possible at little to no extra cost. The key…
A Deeper Dive into Zero Net Carbon Schools
Webinar / May 14, 2020 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm PDT
Building on the overview provided in the Zero Net Carbon Schools webinar hosted on April 1, 2020, this 2-hour webinar took the place of the previously scheduled in person workshop for Silicon Valley Energy Watch. The webinar takes a deeper…
Getting to Zero Energy in Schools is Achievable! Showcasing Successful Zero Energy School Projects from Around the U.S.
Webinar / May 28, 2020 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PDT
This one-hour webinar highlights two projects that demonstrate the proof-of concept in zero energy school construction: King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex in Cambridge, MA and Richardsville Elementary in Warren County, KY (which has been operating at zero…
Zero Net Carbon Schools Webinar
Webinar / April 1, 2020 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PDT
Intended for K-12 & community college administrators, operations managers, school board members, and other influencers, this training goes in depth on zero net carbon (ZNC) school retrofit strategies, lessons learned of districts and technical experts, and resources in designing, constructing,…