According to the U.S. Education Department, energy costs are the 2nd biggest expenditure for K-12 schools after salaries, with districts investing almost $8 billion on those expenses annually. Offered the huge increase of stimulus funds coming to districts, they have an enormous opportunity to target the infusion towards their energy use. In addition to updating aging centers, energy financial investments use cost savings that can help money future concerns while offering a comfy and safe finding out environment.

One district that successfully did that is Port Allegany School District. Superintendent Gary Buchsen invested $1.9 million in federal stimulus funds into much-needed capital enhancement tasks that, as soon as complete, will offer drastically improved indoor air quality and a comfortable discovering environment through remodeling aging toilets and kitchen area facilities.

Not only will the job cut energy and functional costs by 23 percent, but it will also leave 60 percent of the overall financing got for extra jobs.

Taking a holistic, ingenious technique to spending stimulus cash can turn a one-time cash infusion into long-term success for instructors, districts, and trainees. To duplicate Port Alleganys success, there are 5 essential steps school district leaders can take:

1. Determine Priority Projects

Tammy Fulop, VP, Energy Solutions, Schneider ElectricTammy Fulop is VP of Energy Solutions at Schneider Electric.

According to the U.S. Education Department, energy costs are the 2nd greatest cost for K-12 schools after wages, with districts investing almost $8 billion on those expenses every year. Provided the huge increase of stimulus funds coming to districts, they have a massive chance to target the infusion toward their energy usage. In addition to updating aging centers, energy financial investments use expense savings that can assist money future concerns while offering a comfortable and safe discovering environment.

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School districts have a large range of mission-critical requirements and shifting top priorities, so establishing a clear list of both short and long-lasting concerns is essential to identifying how to make the most of readily available financing. This year, many schools are concentrated on resolving air quality to lower the spread of COVID-19. Federal stimulus bills specifically call out that cash could be utilized to repair school facilities– specifically ventilation systems– to enhance air quality.