Achieving Net Zero Energy, Net Zero Carbon and Sustainable School Facilities

The Getting to Zero Over Time is a cohort facilitated by New Buildings Institute (NBI) and DSA’s Sustainability Education & Outreach Program where K–12 public school districts are supported in efforts to develop their own road map to net zero energy and zero carbon across their portfolio. Fifty-seven districts from 29 counties across the state of California have joined NBI and DSA on this path to zero to ensure school districts are able to comply with rapidly advancing legislation and policy in California that targets full decarbonization of the built environment by 2045. This effort aims to bring tailored support through a series of remote learning opportunities, and peer-to-peer information exchange. Additional information on the cohort is on NBI’s Zero Energy webpage.

Decarbonization Roadmap Guide for School Decision Makers

NBI has issued the Decarbonization Roadmap Guide for School Building Decision Makers and accompanying toolbox of resources to assist school districts leverage funding for learning spaces that are better for the occupants and the environment. This guide and toolbox of resources can provide key elements for creating a roadmap, an outline of goals and approaches to consider on the path to carbon neutrality.

A Roadmap for Getting to Net Zero Energy and Carbon Over Time in Schools

In this video from Oct. 22, 2020, hear from Amy Cortese, NBI; Reilly Loveland, NBI; Ida Clair, DSA; and Marcos Rodriguez, Bakersfield City School District on how districts participating in the cohort are developing a template to achieve success in getting to zero, despite growing populations, aging buildings, and constrained operating budgets.

• A Roadmap for Getting to Zero Net Energy and Carbon Over Time in Schools (YouTube)

Participating in the Cohort

There is no cost associated with being part of the cohort and new additions are welcome. Currently, the cohort includes only California K–12 public schools but plans are being made for future cohorts that include community colleges. Those who are interested in joining in future cohorts, should contact Ida Clair, ida.clair@dgs.ca.gov.

The cohort meets monthly on the third Wednesday of the month and is to be completed by June 2021.

To read more about the collaboration and goals between DSA, NBI and California's school districts to reach zero carbon, click the following article link: "Schools Collaborate on the Roadmap to Zero Carbon" written by Reilly Loveland, NBI. 

Bakersfield College, and New Buildings Institute invited fellow school districts, sustainability professionals, and interested community members to participate in a one-day workshop and tour highlighting sustainable leadership in Kern County schools.

Schools and professionals from across the state attended a full day of tours, learning and a social hour to share how K-12 and higher education institutions can develop plans and implement projects to achieve the state goal of carbon neutrality. This event provided valuable insights into sustainable initiatives that can be implemented in schools, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility and resource conservation.

• Sustainable Innovations in Kern County Schools
• Bakersfield College Campus Map

ON-DEMAND TRAININGS

Induction Cooking and the All-Electric, California Schools, Kitchen of the Future
This two-hour recorded webinar explains how a properly designed, all-electric kitchen has the potential to save labor, reduce maintenance, increase kitchen comfort, and enable more scratch cooking, while minimizing any increase in utility costs. The session includes a discussion and demonstration of induction cooking presented by Richard Young and Chef Mark Duesler from Frontier Energy’s Food Service Technology Center. The live webinar was recorded on August 26, 2021.

Registration is free through the DSA Academy learning management system. For additional details regarding account setup and registration, review the DSA Learner Guidebook available on the DSA Academy resource web page.

RECORDED WEBINARS

Teach, Learn, Grow: The Value of Green Infrastructure in Schoolyards
Presented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this presentation discusses the benefits of integrating green infrastructure practices into America’s schoolyards, provides case studies and tools that can be used to create or enhance green schoolyard initiatives in local communities. 

• Teach, Learn, Grow: The Value of Green Infrastructure in Schoolyards

The California Sustainable Schools Showcase aims to acknowledge challenges, dispel myths, and share innovative solutions by showcasing school districts’ efforts to plan for and prioritize sustainability in public school facilities in California. Educational, administrative, and maintenance buildings that exhibit innovative ideas and successfully capture both sustainability and energy efficiency through building programming, design, and the implementing of cutting-edge technology systems will be featured. Zero net energy, low carbon and carbon neutral facilities, and other strategies for sustainable schools will be highlighted to showcase those districts throughout the state who have been able to implement these strategies in both new construction and alterations to existing buildings. 

California Sustainable Schools

• Medea Creek Middle School
• Suisun Valley School
• SBCCD's Sustainability Plan
• San Bernardino Community College District's Crafton Hills College
• Los Altos School District's Blach Intermediate School
• Yosemite Community College

 

 

In 2015, DSA launched an initiative to highlight ways to improve the built environment while simultaneously greening California’s aging school facilities with design concepts that will reduce energy and water consumption at campuses across the state. The initiative, dubbed 7x7x7: Design Energy Water, engaged seven noted architectural firms to develop seven case studies in sustainable school design, for seven representative school campuses.

• DSA 7x7x7 Design Energy Water Initiative – February 2016 Presentation (YouTube Video)
• DSA 7x7x7 Design Energy Water Initiative – Final Report (TBD)

• Water Conservation Tips for Schools Poster (PDF)
• Water Conservation at School Facilities Poster (PDF)
• MWELO – Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance Urban Water Use
• MWELO – Water Budget Calculator (XLS)

Background

Acceptance tests are targeted inspections and functional performance tests to help ensure that equipment installed in nonresidential buildings is operating as designed and in compliance with the Energy Code. These pass/fail tests are required to be performed on all newly installed Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and can be used on existing systems by your administrative and facilities teams to better understand what is needed in the assessment of your district's existing HVAC infrastructure.   

General Course Information

This course takes inspectors, Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), and owners’ representatives, through a virtual academic classroom training followed by a virtual tour of a Mechanical Acceptance Testing Technician (MATT) training center. Experienced field technicians will take the student through the most common forms. The student will go through required physical testing and verification to ensure design intent is achieved.

How to register for this free online self-paced course: 

1. Click on: https://training.nemionline.org/login/
2. If you do not already have an account, click on “Create new account” at the bottom of the page.
3. Once a new account is created, enter the course specific Enrollment Code: wk2jdi

Course provided by ICB/TABB and the National Energy Management Institute Committee (NEMIC)

• AIA Approved CE Course Number: 201024
• AIA CE Provider Number: G409
• Course Length: Approximately 4 Hours
• Credits: 4 Learning Units (LU)
• Cost: Free
• Purpose: Informational training for inspectors, authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), and owners’ representatives in the proper use of ATTCP’s forms and verification of MATT’s certification and ability to perform acceptance testing.  
• Medium: Online Self-Paced Course with voice over and film.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the purpose of Mechanical Acceptance Forms and the benefits properly completed forms have towards ensuring projects achieve design intent.
2. Understand the intent of the Mechanical Acceptance Forms and when they are required.
3. Understand the physical tests that a technician must accurately perform to provide the design professional, inspector and owner with assurance that the installed equipment will achieve design intent.
4. Be able to ask the Mechanical Acceptance Test Technician (MATT) questions to ensure the testing requirements were completed and the information on the submitted forms is accurate.
5. Be able to verify the status of a certified Mechanical Acceptance Testing Technician (MATT) and Mechanical Acceptance Testing Employer (MATE) and make complaints to the Acceptance Testing Technician Certification Provider (ATTCP), when the submitted forms are in question.