Energy Efficiency Supplemental Grant

The Kindergarten through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024 (Proposition 2) authorizes Energy Efficiency Grants to School Facility Program applicants for up to five percent of its new construction or modernization per-pupil grant. 

The Kindergarten through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024 (Proposition 2) authorizes Energy Efficiency Grants to eligible School Facility Program applicants for up to five percent of its new construction or modernization per-pupil grant. During plan review, the applicant district may request an energy efficiency review from the Division of the State Architect (DSA) and receive a score based on its plan design. The Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) will use the score provided by DSA to determine the percentage increase to the project that will enable the State Allocation Board (SAB) to award the Energy Efficiency Grant.

With the ultimate goal of school facility energy self-sufficiency and pollution reduction, advancing state energy goals, and adapting to higher average temperatures that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils and staff, applicants may seek these grant increases to incorporate energy efficiency components into their school facility design. The types of energy efficiency components that are being incorporated into these projects can include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

  • Electric heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), school kitchen equipment, and water heating.
  • The use of ground source temperatures for heating and cooling.
  • Energy and water conservation, load reduction, peak-load shifting, and building energy efficiency measures.
  • Solar water heating technologies.
  • Onsite renewable energy and storage, such as photovoltaics and battery storage, microgrid controllers, and service panel upgrades.
  • Shade structures and the conversion of ground and rooftop surfaces to materials with low absorption and reflection of heat, which may include, but are not limited to, natural surfaces.

Applicants must plan design that for a project that will exceed the nonresidential building energy-efficiency standard specified in Part 6 (commencing with Section 100) of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations.

OPSC has conducted three stakeholder meeting in coordination with DSA on this topic on February 13, 2025, April 17, 2025, and June 26, 2025. Once proposed regulations are presented to the SAB for approval and a scorecard is finalized and provided by DSA, they will be posted here.

You may find links to the stakeholder meetings and recording at the links below:

February 13, 2025 Stakeholder Meeting

April 17, 2025 Stakeholder Meeting

June 26, 2025 Stakeholder Meeting