Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $23 million in funding for four under-resourced school districts across New York State to improve learning environments under the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. Administered through the Clean Green Schools Program by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the initiative aims to make energy-efficient technologies and clean energy upgrades more accessible to schools, enhancing comfort, indoor air quality, and reducing carbon emissions.
The funded projects will serve nearly 10,000 students, including those in disadvantaged communities, and are expected to save 19,000 MMBtus of energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 840 metric tons annually, equivalent to removing over 200 gasoline-powered cars from the road. The upgrades include electrification of HVAC systems, installation of heat pumps, high-performance windows, and energy recovery ventilators, as well as building automation systems to optimize energy usage.
Bradford Central School District will fully electrify its HVAC systems using variable refrigerant flow and air source heat pumps, reducing energy use by 15 percent. Canajoharie Central School District will implement ground and air source heat pumps along with a solar PV system across three buildings, cutting energy consumption by 40 percent and integrating the systems into student learning. Cuba Rushford Central School District will install ground and air source heat pumps covering 90 percent of heating, cooling, and hot water needs, along with educational programs and facility tours, expected to reduce energy use by 45 percent. North Rockland Central School District will fully electrify HVAC systems at two buildings, upgrade filtration, and install high-performance windows, achieving a 50 percent reduction in energy use.
This funding represents the first awards from the $100 million Environmental Bond Act allocation announced in January 2024. NYSERDA is also providing technical assistance to nearly 2,000 schools across 146 districts to assess indoor air quality, reduce energy consumption, and identify clean energy upgrades, with additional funding rounds expected later in 2025.
State officials emphasized the importance of these investments in creating safe, healthy, and energy-efficient learning environments. The initiative aligns with New York State’s broader climate agenda, aiming for an equitable transition to a clean energy economy, decarbonizing buildings, promoting sustainable growth, and directing at least 35 percent of benefits to disadvantaged communities. Over the past five decades, NYSERDA has invested over $5.6 billion in decarbonization and energy efficiency programs, supporting the state’s goal of achieving an emissions-free economy by 2050.
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