Schools can expect help in upgrading their energy-using systems through recently available federal funds. New systems make outdoor lighting more effective and less costly to operate and maintain, and should fall within the federal guidelines. (Author/IRT)

The 1979 passive solar design for Meadow Park Elementary School (Irvine, California) was not used until 1986. Architects had incorporated workable energy-saving features that would give a sizable return on the investment. They maximized use of natural light and used solar features (clerestory windows and interior courtyards) to reduce heat…

The Comprehensive National Energy Policy Act of 1992 encourages energy-conservation measures and proposes matching federal energy-conservation funds with state programs to achieve energy conservation in public buildings. Presents a sampler of conservation projects in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida, and Minnesota. (MLF)

The nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy has been helping schools reduce energy consumption through a combination of retrofits, classroom instruction, and behavior. Lists eight small steps to big energy savings, among them: involve the whole school, stop leaks, turn off computers, and recycle. (MLF)

A conservation program is credited with saving schools $9 million in Portland, Oregon, over the last eight years. Effective retrofits include a computerized energy-management system, new lighting, and credit meters in school sprinkling systems. Teachers incorporate energy conservation into classrooms by encouraging students to conduct energy…

School districts have come up with some money-saving practices that include auditing utility bills, turning off lights, installing light fixtures that are more cost-efficient, keeping track of what the district owns, and shopping for better deals with utilities. (MLF)