The Alliance to Save Energy believes that students have the power to create a culture of energy efficiency in their schools and communities. In K-12 educational facilities, student engagement is key to accessing behavior-based energy savings. Empowered with STEM-based efficiency training, hands-on experience, and results to show for their work, students become ambassadors for energy conservation in the classroom and at home.
The EmPowered Schools Program has three primary goals:
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To help schools save money on energy costs and protect the environment through cooperative, school-wide changes in behavior, operations, and maintenance procedures and retrofits of more efficient equipment.
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To provide excellent, hands-on learning opportunities for students.
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To build pathways to green jobs.
Energy is an enormous cost for U.S. schools, which spend an estimated $8 billion per year in energy alone. Since EmPowered Schools started in 1996, we have partnered with over 1,000 schools to save more than 50,000 Megawatt Hours of electricity and 6 million dollars. We achieve these goals through STEM-based lesson plans and hands-on applications that let students turn their knowledge into power. Program content focuses on energy efficiency, demand response, and renewable energy. Students learn how these elements work together to form holistic energy solutions and create a deep understanding of energy’s links to the environment and economy. Using the school as a real-world learning laboratory, we engage and empower students to become advocates for energy efficiency in their schools, homes, and communities.