The White House announced a $500 million grant program to help public schools across the country become more energy efficient.
In a press release, White House officials say that public schools spend an average of $8 billion a year on energy bills, the second largest expenditure for schools after teacher salaries. The grant program will focus on energy-saving improvements to HVAC systems, lighting, and insulation among other upgrades.
The program will prioritize schools that are most in need and will help schools address serious maintenance backlogs that include updating outdated HVAC systems. With the additional funds, school systems can conduct energy efficiency audits, conduct building and system retrofits and also continue expanding training on new systems for frontline technicians.
To support the grant program, the Biden Administration also recognized eight school districts for their continuing efforts in the following categories: Efficient HVAC technologies; Inspection and maintenance; Ongoing monitoring and analytics; and Team approach to support strategic investments. The districts honored were:
Dave Lubach is the managing editor for the Facility Market.
