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PARTNERS
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U.S. Department of Energy
Improving Learning and Teaching Environments
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched EnergySmart Schools in 1998 in an effort to assist the nation's K-12 schools in meeting the considerable energy challenges they faced. EnergySmart Schools is dedicated to promoting energy awareness and improving learning and teaching environments through energy-efficient design. It is part of DOE's Rebuild America program, a network of nearly 500 partnerships dedicated to improving building performance, reducing air pollution, and enhancing the quality of life in communities by saving energy. EnergySmart Schools is taking a two-pronged approach to schools. It is working with school districts to introduce energy-saving improvements to the physical environment, and is actively promoting and supporting energy education in the classroom. EnergySmart Schools focuses on:
- Improving learning and teaching environments
- Reducing energy consumption and costs
- Increasing the use of clean energy
- Providing instructional material to teach students the principles of energy and the importance of smart energy practices through hands-on lessons
- Involving students, parents, teachers and the community in energy-saving efforts.
Working with Communities to Save Energy
In addition to K-12 Schools, Rebuild America strives to facilitate energy-saving improvements on college campuses, in government and commercial buildings, and in public and affordable housing. Rebuild America partnerships are led by stakeholders in these sectors – such as school districts, municipalities, state agencies, nonprofit organizations and universities – that are committed to investing in energy-saving measures and redirecting those savings to more productive uses.
This network of partnerships helps communities adopt more environmentally and economically sound practices by encouraging smarter energy use in buildings. Rebuild America helps communities identify, prioritize and solve energy-related problems. Partnerships strive to:
- Establish criteria for building selection and goals for energy and dollars savings
- Develop and implement an action plan for achieving goals
- Conduct energy audits of targeted buildings
- Arrange financing for building improvements
- Track building energy performance before and after a retrofit project.
Created by DOE in 1994, Rebuild America serves as a tool for community revitalization and job creation in many U.S. communities. EnergySmart Schools is endorsed by the National School Boards Assocation.
For more information visit www.energy.gov or www.rebuild.gov.
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