2024 was a big year for Texas鈥� IDEA Public Schools. Three IDEA campuses鈥擨DEA Elsa, IDEA Rio Grande City and IDEA Edgemere鈥攅arned the prestigious ENERGY STAR certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recognizing superior energy performance and commitment to sustainability. Notably, the campuses achieved near-perfect ENERGY STAR scores and now rank in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide for energy efficiency.听

Months later, IDEA earned another sustainability accolade, becoming one of just 13 K-12 school districts to make significant strides in energy efficiency and student health as part of the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program鈥檚 (EHSP) Data Detective category. The program honors schools that demonstrate best practices to assess, benchmark and utilize building data to prioritize school improvements.听

A Team Effort听

ENERGY STAR certification and EHSP participation reflect IDEA Public Schools鈥� broader mission to create learning environments that prioritize sustainability and student wellbeing. The campuses are already seeing immediate impacts and anticipating long-term benefits related to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and other technologies to reduce energy use and emissions. They also serve as a model for other schools seeking to foster environmentally responsible, high-performance learning environments.听听

鈥淲e are incredibly proud of the efforts our facilities and construction team made to enhance the efficiency of our buildings and systems,鈥� said Antonio Guevara, director of Energy Services at IDEA Public Schools. 鈥淭hese improvements have not only reduced operating costs, but also contributed to better student health, increased academic performance, and provided a valuable opportunity for our students and administration to set a national example of leadership and innovation.鈥�听听

For IDEA, meaningful sustainable change didn鈥檛 just come from the top, but was supported and driven by campus facilities managers, custodians, and entire campus operations team. As part of the EHSP application, IDEA also worked closely with Ethos Engineering of Harlingen, Texas, to conduct a comprehensive efficiency and operational evaluation of campus buildings. Ethos Engineering also generously submitted IDEA鈥檚 ENERGY STAR and Data Detective applications pro bono.听

鈥淚DEA Public Schools has a visionary approach to creating high-performance schools that not only save resources but also foster excellence in academic outcomes,鈥� said Rajesh Kapileshwari, principal at Ethos Engineering. 鈥淭heir remarkable achievement of earning perfect or near perfect Energy Star Certifications Scores for their buildings reflects their commitment to their values and beliefs. These buildings are more than just structures; they are symbols of IPS鈥檚 vision for the future.鈥�听听

The Value of Benchmarking听听

The Energy Star program offers regional-specific benchmarking data that helped IDEA Public Schools understand how its buildings performed in relation to similar structures鈥攁nd pinpointed areas of opportunity.听

鈥淓very region is different and very weather dependent,鈥� Guevara said. 鈥淎 building operating in El Paso, which has a mild climate and low humidity, is very different than a building operating in Houston with high heat and high levels of humidity near the coast. The size of the building, whether it’s using natural gas or electric heat, the program takes all of that into consideration to calculate a score from one to 100.鈥�听

In addition to benchmarking, the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager platform also offered IDEA a wealth of resources, helping the team implement energy efficiency improvements that the IDEA Public Schools Energy Services Department anticipates will save more than $1 million in utility costs annually based on the district’s energy performance.听听

鈥淭hese significant savings not only directly benefit our schools but also highlight our commitment to responsible resource management and financial stewardship,鈥� Guevara said. 鈥淏eyond the financial gains, ENERGY STAR certification reinforces IDEA Public Schools’ broader mission to create sustainable learning environments that prioritize both student well-being and environmental responsibility.鈥�听

Continuous Improvement听

While IDEA had a lot to celebrate in 2024, the district鈥檚 sustainability journey has been in motion for several years.听听

In May 2023, IDEA successfully applied for $100,000 in funding as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) Energy CLASS Prize. The award supported coaching and professional development through the newly established Energy CLASS Prize Training Network and enabled Guevara to become a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) through the Association of Energy Engineers, further strengthening the scalability and effectiveness of IDEA Public Schools鈥� energy efficiency projects.听

As part of the recognition, IDEA Public Schools was invited to the Schools Clean Energy and IAQ Summit, hosted by the Center for Green Homes at the U.S. Green Building Council.听听

鈥淎t the summit, we had the opportunity to connect with other like-minded institutions and fellow award recipients, providing valuable networking opportunities,鈥� Guevara said. 鈥淎dditionally, we gained insights from subject matter experts within the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program as well as guest speakers, further enhancing our knowledge in this critical area.鈥�听

These ongoing investments reflect the district鈥檚 iterative, continuous improvement approach to building better and more efficient campuses and to creating optimal learning environments.听听

鈥淚t also underscores the importance of equipping campus facility managers with a comprehensive understanding of how their systems operate, along with robust training on their building automation system, which is what drives how their HVAC equipment and their lighting is working, which contribute a disproportionate impact to energy performance,鈥� Guevara said.听

The Big Takeaways

IDEA Public Schools can anticipate a multitude of benefits from its investments in operations as well as staff education. In addition to significant cost savings due to reduced energy consumption and operational expenses, allowing for redirected funds towards educational programs and resources, improvements in IAQ are creating healthier learning environments that enhance student and staff well-being while reducing absenteeism.听听

鈥淥bviously, our mission is very inspirational to us, but sometimes it can feel like a struggle (to understand) how facilities contribute to that mission, but a lot of compelling data links things like indoor air quality to academic performance,鈥� Guevara said.听听

Additionally, the adoption of energy-efficient technologies contributes to a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with IDEA’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. Collectively, these outcomes underscore the transformative impact of energy efficiency initiatives, fostering both fiscal responsibility and a healthier, greener future for IDEA Public Schools.听听

The process also taught Guevara the importance of beginning with energy-efficient building designs that can be enhanced with effective operations and focusing on off-hour operations.听听

鈥淲e’re involved with the Texas Energy Manager Association, which encourages facilities and operations teams to 鈥榤anage the 100,鈥欌�� Guevara explained. 鈥淲hat they mean is to consider the 100 hours out of each week when no staff is there. What happens in those 100 hours can make all the difference in the world from a utility and efficiency standpoint.鈥�听

However, Guevara鈥檚 most important piece of advice for other schools seeking to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs is simply to join the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program. The free program offers participants access to valuable resources, including working groups, peer-to-peer discussions, and technical support on practical solutions to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and create healthier learning spaces for students.听

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