New York City launches $4B all-electric, efficiency public school program

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Friday announced a $4 billion energy-saving plan for the city's public schools that includes a conversion to all-electric power.

As part of the Leading the Charge plan, the city intends to convert or begin the conversion of 100 existing schools to all-electric heating by 2030. Going forward, new schools built in New York City will be all-electric.

The city said the first two fiscal years of the program, during which it will convert the first 19 existing schools, will cost $520 million.

Other changes to school buildings that will meet the standards outlined in New York City's Local Law 97 (LL97), which was passed by the city council in 2019 as part of the Climate Mobilization Act, include:

• Ending the use of No. 4 heating oil in schools four years ahead of LL97's phaseout deadline of 2030 by converting more than 200 schools to ultra-low sulfur biofuel, reducing harmful air particulates from onsite combustion by 99%;
• A $540 million, four-year LED light upgrade and retrofit program in 800 schools – approximately half of the New York City Department of Education's (DOE) facilities – by 2026, in partnership with the New York Power Authority; and
• A $13 million initiative that will see the hiring and training of skilled trade workers to carry out the elimination of No. 4 heating oil and to help build a "new green workforce" pipeline for the DOE's clean energy transition.

Thus far, the city has committed $2 billion to the initiative and will identify the balance of program funds in the years to come.

City officials expect that the Leading the Charge program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 120,000 tons every year and eliminate more than 20,000 pounds of harmful fine particulates from the air. New York City has already reduced emissions by 27% since 2006, and this latest program will reduce them by an additional 3%.

New York City's built environment, according to city officials, is responsible for two-thirds of local emissions, and LL97 requires that most buildings greater than 25,000 square feet meet certain energy efficiency and emissions standards by 2024. Those buildings must comply with even stricter limits by 2030 and 2050. Read about LL97 here.

"Schools are the centers of our communities, and it is paramount that our buildings and facilities operate in a way that bolster healthy learning environments for our students and support a cleaner city for New Yorkers, young and old," said New York City DOE Chancellor David C. Banks in a prepared statement.

"Beyond making our city a greener place, this initiative will work to provide our students with invaluable career experiences, preparing them to one day join the workforce tackling climate change," Banks said. "I’m proud of the strides this administration is taking towards combating climate change through this initiative."