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School Models for Alternative Sources of Energy

Educational programming outlining the positive aspects of using alternative sources of energy is a fast growing trend. "Go green" is the new slogan for the U.S. Department of Energy, as it tries to educate schools and businesses on ways to incorporate renewable energy sources like biomass fuel sources, wind and solar energy. Schools in the U.S. that incorporate renewable energy concepts into the curriculum and classroom environment are essential to the success of the U.S. becoming an energy efficient country. Schools across the U.S. can model themselves after these pioneering schools that have already become "energysmart."

  1. Alder Creek Middle School

    • Alder Creek is located in the Lake Tahoe Basin region in Truckee, CA, which experiences extreme temperature fluctuations. The school is two stories high including nine portable classrooms. Architects and engineers built the school on a sloped location to augment the earth's thermal properties. The school is a model school for the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). From the building materials to the boiler plant, the entire school is focused on conserving water and heat energy, maximizing solar energy through the use of solar panels and using sustainable materials. The school saves 58 percent in energy costs and is 20 percent below federal requirements for energy costs in lighting and HVAC.

    Fossil Ridge High School

    • Fossil Ridge is located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The school houses 1,800 students and cost $38.5 million dollars to build. The school was designed to create a healthy learning environment as a viable teaching tool. The school utilizes less energy which saves money that is accessible for classroom spending. Some energy efficient choices included building asphalt parking lots to generate heat, 100 percent of the school's electricity is supplied by wind power, solar panels provide emergency power, natural gas provides heat, chiller coolers produce ice at night to be used for cooling during the day and a raw water pond recycles water to irrigate the school. The school saves $85,000 a year in energy costs, as of 2011.

    Foster-Glocester School District

    • Ponaganset Middle and High School in Rhode Island used a state aid grant and a subsidized bond issuance to rebuild the middle school and renovate the high school. Both schools use woodchip boilers to provide 85 percent of their heat. The project cost $57 million dollars. The project is also considered state-of-the-art because of the financing method used to complete both projects. A combined $697,262 a year is saved in energy costs, as of 2011, meaning the project pays for itself in 8 years.

    Whitman-Hanson Regional High School

    • The state of Massachusetts has its own green school initiative program that helps reconstruct schools throughout the state. This high school reconstructed its HVAC system to incorporate an ice-creating chiller system, solar panels supply electricity, the old school was recycled to build the new school, rainwater is collected to irrigate the school and the windows are solar screened. The high school spends 39 percent less energy across the board per year in gas, water, heat and electricity.

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