K-12 Schools Lead at Green Schools Conference

Three Better Buildings Challenge (BBC) K-12 School partners recently participated in a panel at the 2017 Green Schools Conference & Expo in Atlanta, entitled “Follow the Leaders: What Leading K-12 Schools Have Learned When it Comes to Energy,” to share best practices in energy efficiency management. Session attendees included educators, school administrators, business leaders, nonprofit partners, sustainability advocates, and school facility managers.  Craig Wright, Natural and Renewable Resources Manager for Aurora Public Schools in Colorado, shared innovations for incentivizing energy conservation. Theresa Spurling-Wood, Director of Energy Systems for Alachua County Public Schools in Florida, discussed her Green Ribbon Schools District Sustainability award; and D. Jensen Adams, Energy and Sustainability Manager for Kansas City Public Schools in Missouri, presented on contracting and funding energy efficiency.

The session was moderated by Crystal McDonald, K-12 Schools Lead at the U.S. Department of Energy, who provided an overview of the Better Buildings Challenge and K-12 school partner achievements to date. Aurora Public Schools committed 4.3 million square feet to the program and realized an 11 percent reduction in 2016 from its 2013 baseline. Alachua County Public Schools’ portfolio is comprised of 4.19 million square feet and the district has measured a 14 percent energy and 5 percent water reduction in 2016 from its 2010 baseline. Kansas City Public Schools recently joined the Challenge with 4 million square feet. There are currently 27 K-12 school districts in the program representing 231.8 million square feet of committed space. Slides from the Green Schools Conference & Expo session can be viewed here. More information on the BBC K-12 School Sector can be found here.