Page 54 - spaces4learning, Fall 2023

spaces4learning SUSTAINABILITY
3 TRUTHS ABOUT MEETING SUSTAINABILITY 􏰀􏰁ND􏰁TES IN 􏰂-􏰃􏰄 SCHOOLS
By Cheryl Aquadro
TODAY’S K-12 LEADERS are tasked with everything from adhering to rigorous academic standards to implementing op- erational procedures to building healthy school communities, and for many, sustainability unintentionally falls to the bottom of the priority list. It’s a tale as old as time – education leaders have too many competing priorities fighting for their attention and for a portion of their shrinking budgets. Further, the cost of taking on green initiatives is on the rise, making it even more of a challenge for financially strapped school districts to meet sustainability expectations and commitments.
The U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) issued a one- time survey of school districts in 2020, which found that an estimated 54% of public school districts needed to update or replace multiple building systems or features in their schools. At the time of the study, approximately 41% of school districts needed to update or replace heating, ventilation, air condition- ing and cooling (HVAC) systems in at least half of their schools and about a quarter of districts needed to update or replace oth- er elements like lighting, roofing, security systems or plumbing in at least half of their schools.
Not only can outdated infrastructure cause damage to buildings, such as floor or ceiling leaks, but it can also have con- sequences on occupants’ physical health due to factors like low lighting, poor air quality, extreme temperatures, mold growth and more. Old building systems can also affect occupants’ men- tal health, resulting in struggles with student performance, fo- cus and testing. For these reasons, it’s essential that education leaders bump sustainable infrastructure to the top of their pri- ority lists and learn how to overcome common challenges in modernizing their building systems and features.
Here are three truths behind K-12 sustainability mandates that leaders need to internalize and act on to create healthier learning environments for the future.
Sustainability Can Save You Money
Yes, it’s true that sustainability projects can have steep upfront costs, but the return on investment is exponentially worth it. Updating or replacing aging infrastructures in schools reduces their energy consumption and cuts overall operating costs and utility bills in the short term – while also helping avoid unex- pected equipment failures in the long term.
However, education leaders often aren’t aware of the afford- able funding solutions available to them to support sustainabil- ity projects. Perhaps the most well-known federal funding op- tion of late is the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, a federal program available to K-12 insti- tutions through September 30, 2024, that provides school dis- tricts with emergency financial assistance for a variety of proj- ects, including building upgrades to improve student health. There are other affordable financing opportunities available through government programs, public-private partnerships, performance contracting and other avenues.
The first step for leaders to obtain the appropriate fund- ing and tackle sustainability projects is to identify their infra- structure’s biggest weaknesses. This is done through audits of HVAC systems, indoor air quality, energy and water use, etc., to establish baselines and determine where upgrades are need- ed. Audits can also illustrate how much schools are currently spending on their building systems and how much they would save with more efficient solutions. Tailored audits are a great way to ensure that schools’ sustainability spending aligns with
54 FALL 2023 | spaces4learning.com