Energy Policy

In 2009, the School Board of Palm Beach County adopted the Energy and Water Use Conservation Policy. This policy guides District operational practices to conserve energy and water use in an effort to be good environmental stewards of our planet while reducing expenditures. Since its adoption, the District has reduced its energy use by more than 22%, which has saved over $25 million.

Energy Management System

One of the most effective strategies the District uses to combat energy waste is the Energy Management System, or EMS. EMS is a computerized, web-based, control program that allows the District to monitor and manage electrical usage. There are approximately 180 schools, hundreds of portable classrooms and ancillary facilities connected to the Energy Management System. Utilities usage and costs are also monitored through Brightly, an operations management software program.

School Programs

Grassroots sustainability programs at the school level build a strong, positive and supportive, green culture. Programs led by teachers and students include, “Turn It Off” sticker campaigns, conservation poster contests and classroom energy audits. The District participates in an annual regional contest called, How Low Can You Go?, to incentivize school based energy awareness campaigns. The District supports Green Champion Teachers with resources like kilowatt meters to enhance classroom curriculum as well as professional development opportunities, like the Annual Sustainability Symposium

Facility Upgrades

The District has plans for new construction green building and facility upgrades at existing buildings, which help our operations run more efficiently and reduce costs. Most recently, existing school buildings are receiving new HVAC chillers on an as needed basis. These facility upgrades are an energy saving investment. For example, at one middle school a new chiller helped the school building decrease energy use by an estimated 23%. Further, the District has completed a number of re-lamping projects that have replaced older, less-efficient bulbs with new, energy-efficient models that not only reduce District energy costs, but improve classroom lighting.

Green Building

The District’s energy conservation policy mandates that construction projects adhere to green building standards. The District has eleven LEED-certified schools, one Florida Green Building Coalition-certified school and three schools built to Green Globes building standards. Through a partnership with Florida Power and Light, eight schools received 22 solar panels each as part of an educational initiative. Teachers also took part in a Florida Solar Energy Training program where they learned how to demonstrate use of the solar panels for classroom instruction.