Des Moines may be better known for the Iowa State Fair, but recently it’s been turning heads for something else: energy savings in its school district.
The scoop
The city’s public school district has roughly 70 facilities, most of which are more than 70 years old. But that hasn’t gotten in the way of their energy upgrades, FacilitiesNet shared, calling the district “an energy-savings standout.”
Many of their investments — which total nearly $500 million in the last three decades — have been focused on HVAC upgrades. Since 2000, almost every school in the district has installed a geothermal system, a heat pump, or both.
The district’s energy and environmental specialist, Tyler Puls, told FacilitiesNet that focusing on HVAC has been key to their savings…