K-12 Schools


Kindergarten through high school (K–12) buildings in the US use an average of of 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 50 cubic feet of natural gas per square foot (ft2) annually. In a typical school building, space heating, cooling, and lighting together account for nearly 70% of school energy use (Figure 1). Plug loads—such as computers and copiers—constitute one of the top three electricity end uses, after lighting and cooling.

Average energy use data

Figure 1: Energy consumption by end use
According to national data on K&endash;12 school buildings, lighting, cooling, and computers are the major electricity consumers; space heating is the largest end use of natural gas, with water heating a distant second.
Pie chart showing electricity end uses: Cooling 35%; Miscellaneous, 18%; Lighting, 14%; Computer, 14%; Ventilation, 11%, and Refrigeration, 8%.
Pie chart showing natural gas end uses: Heating, 73%; Water heating, 19%; and Miscellaneous, 8%.
Top technology uses

K–12 school districts in the US spend about $8 billion on energy each year. Although energy costs account for only 2% to 4% of school district expenditures, it is one of the few expenses that can be decreased without negatively affecting classroom instruction. By implementing energy-efficient measures, along with operations and maintenance strategies, school districts can generate substantial energy cost savings while improving the physical environment of school facilities.


Figure 2: Diagram of a hypothetical daily load shape


All of the conservation measures discussed here will save money and enhance both the aesthetics and the learning environment of your school. Resources are available that can assist you in creating optimal facility conditions, including Energy Star’s resources for K–12 schools, which provides case studies, technical guidelines, and energy benchmarking.

Quick fixes
Longer-term solutions
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