PASADENA, TX — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently recognized Pasadena Independent School District for achieving its energy savings goal as a partner in the Better Buildings Challenge. The district managed to achieve 28 percent of energy savings through the challenge.
Pasadena ISD has worked together to set goals in energy-saving plans and share their efficiency strategies on the Better Buildings Solution Center. Since 2019, Pasadena ISD has been able to save an estimated 39,538 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and has earned the ENERGY STAR certifications.
Kelly Speakes-Backman, Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, congratulated the achiever of the Better Buildings and Better Plants Goal this year and with achieving the title, Pasadena ISD is setting goals for other industries to do the same to help achieve the goals.
The school has applied the following energy-saving initiatives in the following area such as the zoning of all buildings, addressing the HVAC equipment and control issues, installing WIFI controlled thermostats in portable buildings, encourage behavioral changes in students and staff members, upgrading to LED lights and established an on-site team energy specialists to conduct energy audits and track energy consumption across the Pasadena ISD buildings. All these things are the Pasadena ISD initiative in energy conservation.
They plan to continue to develop an energy conservation culture to protect natural resources and strategically plan for the upcoming years in achieving greater energy savings.
Kevin Fornof, Associate Superintendent of Facilities and Construction for Pasadena ISD, said that the recognition was the highest point of the hard work of the school district in developing a comprehensive energy management and conservation program.
The Better Buildings Challenge is one component of the Better Buildings Initiative. DOE partnered with public and private sector organizations to make commercial, public, industrial and residential buildings more efficient. Up to now, there are more than 950 Better Buildings partners and have shared their innovative approach to energy conservation.