Results of the second annual “School Energy and Environment Survey” from Honeywell reveal that almost 90 percent of school leaders see a direct link between the quality and performance of school facilities, and student achievement. However, districts face several obstacles when it comes to keeping their buildings up to date and well maintained. For example, 68 percent of school districts have either delayed or eliminated building improvements in response to the economic downturn.
Honeywell Building Solutions commissioned Education Week Research to conduct an online survey of approximately 800 Education Week subscribers who were identified as district administrators or school board members. The survey finds that a quarter of these respondents have seen their district’s energy costs rise at least 25 percent in the past three years, compared to 17 percent of those polled in 2009. As a consequence of rising utility bills, almost 75 percent of the districts have cut spending in key areas such as maintenance, capital investment and staffing.
Honeywell is currently helping hundreds of U.S. school districts beat the budget crunch with energy and operational savings expected to total more than $400 million. These programs are often funded through performance contracts, which allow schools to pay for facility improvements through the savings the upgrades produce. Honeywell guarantees the results so the work doesn’t impact operating budgets.
For more information, read the press release or view the survey results.
