Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick said the district is one of 17 school districts nationwide to receive such recognition. The district was honored for upgrading facilities with technologies and practices that create healthy and more sustainable learning environments for students and staff and lower their facilities’ energy needs, carbon emissions, and utility bills.
Said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno: “This recognition of being one of 17 school districts recognized for our facility health and sustainability by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign is a testament to the continued efforts of Superintendent Daniel Warwick, our dedicated Springfield Public Schools and Facility team, and my administration. By investing in our public schools to enhance and improve our energy efficiency and environment performance, we reduce our carbon footprint and provide our students, teachers, and staff with a healthy classroom environment, especially with all the enhancements made to improve the buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In recognizing Springfield’s achievement, the DOE noted that “Springfield Public Schools conducted building-by-building surveys, studying electric and natural gas accounts, and implemented a competitive bid process, resulting in a four-phase energy plan that led to significant energy savings every year and healthier environments for their school buildings.”
Sarno said the schools-based initiative is a part of his administration’s overall commitment to the citywide Climate Action and Resilience Plan. “Working with Patrick Sullivan, Director of Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management, along with the Massachusetts School Building Authority, we have invested over $750 million in building new state-of-the-art and energy efficient schools and renovating and upgrading existing schools – including the new Brightwood/Lincoln School, which received the prestigious LEED Gold Certification Award for its high performance in energy efficiency in design, construction, and operation. On top of the $750 million investment, which by the way, is the most in the state, I have also invested millions of dollars in retrofitting all our schools and municipal buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic above ASHRAE clean air standards,” said Sarno.
Warwick said the upgrades, improvements, installations, and new buildings have a compounding positive impact on teachers and students. “Under the leadership of Mayor Sarno, our school district has experienced energy and environmental transformations that surpass anything in recent history,” said Warwick. “These upgrades are important not only because of the positive impact they have on the environment, but also our students and teachers. At the end of the day, they benefit the most.”
DOE Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alejandro Moreno agreed. “Upgrading buildings isn’t just about energy. Upgrading school facilities helps improve student health, optimizes spaces for learning, and we know that improved indoor air quality can alleviate respiratory illnesses, improve student and teacher attendance and performance, and decrease risk of transmission of respiratory infections like COVID-19,” he said.
The Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign, led by DOE’s Building Technologies Office, is an interagency effort supported by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Education to recognize and provide technical assistance for school districts that seek to implement high-impact indoor air quality and efficiency improvements in their facilities.
Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign Honors 17 School Districts for Upgrading Facility Health and Sustainability | Department of Energy