Baltimore is making strides in the school sector, becoming a leader in net-zero school buildings designed to generate as much energy as they consume over a year. The city is at the vanguard, with two schools currently operational and others on the drawing board, reported Baltimore Fishbowl. Kristin Keim, a program manager at the sustainability nonprofit Generation180, highlighted Maryland's unique position as one of a few states directly funding clean-energy school initiatives.
According to WYPR, Holabird Academy and Graceland Park/O'Donnell Heights are the city's two fully operational net-zero institutions. They received $5.5 million in state funds to advance this goal, further cementing Baltimore's lead in this area. They have also received a combined state fund of around $26 million aimed at decarbonizing public schools. The district's sustainability manager, Joanna Pi-Sunyer, revealed that the city passed its first sustainability policy in 2016, which paved the way for funding opportunities to align with its goals.
These environmentally conscious schools aren't just a win for sustainability and the budget. Pi-Sunyer explained that each net-zero school's annual energy bill is about $30,000, a stark contrast to the $150,000 typically tied to a non-net-zero school of a similar size. However, despite the benefits, Pi-Sunyer admitted to WYPR that net-zero construction isn't without challenges, including the $2 million cost for solar panels and the difficulties of converting older buildings with less capacity for renewable energy production.
Strautin, with Holabird's abundant resources for clean energy, from solar panels to community gardens, encourages students to participate in sustainability through hands-on projects actively and challenges them to think critically about improving their green practices, telling WYPR her students are engaged in making real changes and taking on the less glamorous tasks because they care about the impact they have on the planet.
