NASEO Announces the Launch of a New Partnership to Advance Healthy and Efficient K-12 Schools

Source: Deb Lastowka, NREL 54439

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), the National Council on School Facilities (NCSF) and the 21st Century Schools Fund (21CSF) will be working together to advance energy efficiency and indoor air quality in K-12 schools across the United States. Through this partnership, NASEO, NCSF, and 21CSF will facilitate data exchange and relationship building between the State Energy Offices, state and local education agencies, and other education stakeholders. Supported by funding provided by the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office, the NASEO, NCSF, and 21CSF team members will seek input from state officials and local stakeholders to establish a roadmap for providing technical assistance to states and districts to help them deliver healthy and energy efficient school buildings. Over the next six months, the team will establish an advisory committee, survey and interview state officials on current school facilities activities to advance healthy and energy efficient facilities, and develop a plan to help states ensure their public school facilities advance health and energy efficiency. Working together to improve energy efficiency and support healthy environments in K-12 school buildings will ensure that educational facilities plans and projects meet the highest standards for health, efficiency and affordability. 

About NASEO: NASEO is the only national non-profit association for the governor-designated energy officials from each of the 56 states and territories. Formed by the states in 1986, NASEO facilitates peer learning among state energy officials, serves as a resource for and about State Energy Offices, and advocates the interests of the State Energy Offices to Congress and federal agencies.

About NCSF:
The National Council on School Facilities is the nonprofit association of state K–12 public school facilities leaders. Its mission is to support states in their varied roles and responsibilities for the delivery of safe, healthy, and educationally appropriate school facilities that are sustainable and fiscally sound. NCSF engages in research and development and works to represent the states’ perspectives and experience regarding effective policy, planning, practice, regulation, finance, and management of school facilities. By leveraging state knowledge through collaboration and the elimination of duplicate efforts, the Council saves time and public resources. • www.facilitiescouncil.org

About 21CSF:
21st Century School Fund is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1994 to build the public will and the public capacity for modernized public school facilities. 21CSF is a well-respected and relied-upon source of research, policy analysis and technical assistance for communities, school districts and states on the public engagement, policies and practices that support the delivery of healthy, safe and educationally appropriate K–12 public school facilities. • www.21csf.org

To learn more about this project and how to participate, please contact Ed Carley, NASEO Program Director (ecarley@naseo.org).