UPDATE: California Schools Chief Leads Drive for Energy Efficiency in Schools

Update: Schools of the Future Initiative launched

In January, California State Superintendent Tom Torlakson launched an effort to ensure that future school construction projects incorporate energy efficiency and renewable power as he awarded $848 million in federal Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) tax credits to California schools.

Torlakson is creating a Schools of the Future team, made up of state, education, labor, and business leaders to remove barriers, identify funding sources, and make it easier for schools to build energy efficiency into every project. He said, "It makes no sense to teach the next generation of California's students in facilities that are relics of the past, powered by energy sources that are out of touch with our state's renewable future."

As a science teacher, Torlakson recognizes that energy-saving and renewable energy projects have exciting potential as teaching tools for students: "I see hundreds of teachable moments where students can be included and study firsthand the design and installation of energy-saving improvements and solar and wind power systems."

"Investing in energy efficiency will help our schools save money — now and over the long run – and show students that we're concerned about the environment and their future," Torlakson said.

Read the full California Deparment of Education News Release