Empowering Schools
to build stronger, healthier communities
The Strong Schools Initiative at New Buildings Institute advances healthy, efficient, and resilient school facilities, providing direct support to K-12 stakeholders in their work to improve student health and educational outcomes. This initiative has provided support to over 500 school districts nationwide.
"Simple problems can usually be fixed by maintenance teams. It's the more complex problems that feel impossible to solve. This team has really helped us crack these challenges and see real outcomes."
The Strong Schools Initiative partners with school district leadership, design professionals, facility managers, utilities, and occupants to provide hands-on support — helping district staff update design standards, set goals and benchmarks, develop implementation plans, and prioritize projects.
Our most recent project, the HVAC Change Lab, supports heating, ventilation, and air conditioning modernization in schools nationwide.
Our Impact
$37 Million
saved by school districts since 2021
9.4 Million
students, staff, and other market leaders impacted
755,100 MMBtu
saved by school districts since 2021
50+
plans, policies, and technical documents implemented
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Here are some of the many ways we help school districts:
- Planning and prioritization
- Benchmarking and goal setting
- Energy and emissions analysis
- Building systems (HVAC, lighting, controls, etc.) and electrification
- Operations and performance optimization
- Indoor air quality and resilience
- Funding and financing strategies
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Visit our California Schools Resources Hub for toolkits, templates, and trainings designed for Golden State districts.
Do you have a resource to support school districts on their decarbonization journey? We'd love to to see it!
Sustained support is essential to help school districts improve indoor air quality, reduce energy costs, and create safer learning environments for students and staff. Make a contribution today to support healthy and strong school communities.
See our work in action
NBI's Strong Schools Initiative helped the Canajoharie, New York, school district energy manager enhance existing student engagement programs by incorporating fundamentals of building science, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality. More than 1,000 students, educators, and staff participated in a district-wide sustainability program.