The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) released a Request for Information (RFI) to help decide how best to spend $500 million from the recently passed federal infrastructure law for K-12 public school energy upgrades.
The law makes available grants for energy improvements that result in a direct reduction in school energy costs, including improvements to the air conditioning and heating, ventilation, hot water heating, and lighting systems. Funding would also support renovation and repairs that lead to an improvement in teacher and student health.
Many schools are in desperate need of energy improvements, according to a DOE news release. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nation’s 100,000 public K-12 schools a D+ in their 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure report.
“Dilapidated school facilities can negatively affect student learning and health as indoor air quality problems can aggravate respiratory illnesses, reduce student and teacher attendance and performance, and increase risk of transmission of respiratory infections like COVID-19,” the release says.
DOE encourages local education agencies, school staff, states, local governments, energy service companies, unions, service providers, and utilities to respond to the RFI. The deadline for submissions is May 18, 2022.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jul 16, 2015
Berkeley, Calif., adopts balcony inspection program following deadly collapse
Apartment building balconies will be subject to inspections every three years under new regulations adopted following a deadly collapse.
Codes and Standards | Jul 16, 2015
Oregon to spend $300 million for seismic updates on public buildings
A survey found that more than 1,000 Oregon school buildings face a high risk of collapse during earthquakes.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2015
Maryland’s Prince George County turns to P3s to build green infrastructure
Over the next 10 years, the county must convert 15,000 acres of watertight surfaces—almost 5% of the county's total area—into surfaces that absorb or treat rainwater.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2015
Philadelphia considers more incentives for green building
Developers could be allowed additional height, floor area on projects that meet benchmarks.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2015
LEED building at Duke University may be retrofitted to prevent bird deaths
More birds die from colliding with buildings at Duke than on any other campus in a 45-school survey conducted by Augustana College. Duke is located along the Atlantic Flyway, a bird migration route.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2015
Balcony collapse in Berkeley, Calif., prompts an examination of codes
Dry rot and too much weight appear to be the causes of a fatal accident at an eight-year-old building in Berkeley, Calif.
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
Guides to wood construction in high wind areas updated
The guides establish prescriptive, wind-resistive structural requirements for wood-frame buildings of different sizes and shapes.
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
New document addresses school safety and security
In an effort to balance security and fire safety features within codes, standards and planning, NFPA hosted a two-day workshop, “School Safety, Codes and Security”, last December. The findings are now available in an NFPA report.
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
Two myths regarding NFPA 101 Life Safety Code debunked
NFPA life safety engineer Ron Coté settles the debate over second egress doors and exit signs.
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
How to prevent corrosion in sprinkler system piping
The technical committees responsible for NFPA 13, Installation of Sprinkler Systems, have been looking at ways to eliminate or reduce corrosion in sprinkler systems for several revision cycles.
