Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) is one of the largest school districts in the nation, with over 140 school campuses and aging buildings averaging 40+ years old.  As costs have risen and budgets decreased, the district has made efficiency and conservation a priority.  Individual departments had historically addressed efficiency in their own way, but APS realized the necessity of pulling the entire school community together to understand and address underlying problems district-wide.

APS formed a standing committee called the Water and Energy Conservation Committee (WECC) comprised of: representatives from all three utility providers (gas, water, electric); the District CFO, CIO, COO, and Associate Superintendent; APS Executive Directors from all key operational departments; the New Mexico State Energy Office; APS staff managers who can implement strategies; and community leaders from private industry and environmental/trade associations.

WECC drafted a policy outlining conservation goals which was passed by the Board of Education.  Next, the district established a network of positions to effectively carry out the plan, including a core team of full-time staff who operate out of the newly created APS District Energy Center.  The role of these individuals is to continuously monitor building performance, looking for improvement opportunities. With the cooperation of WECC and the entire APS community, the district is able to systematically implement these strategies and measure progress toward the goals.

As part of their commitment to the Better Buildings Challenge, Albuquerque Public Schools has committed 15 million square feet which includes 139 school campuses, 16 support facilities, and four stadiums/athletic complexes. The district is the recipient of the Region IV 2016 Institutional Energy Management Award presented by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).