South San Francisco USD Named Only District-wide Winner of U.S. Green Building Council Best of Green Schools Award

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.: At a national award ceremony hosted by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in collaboration with the Green Schools National Network (GSNN), South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) was named one of only nine national recipients of the 2019 Best of Green Schools Awards. The awards represent the best environmental efforts in schools across the country and highlight national leaders in school sustainability. Along with fellow honorees and their long-term energy partner ENGIE Services U.S., SSFUSD accepted their award at the USGBC’s Green Schools Conference and Expo on April 8 at the Saint Paul, MN RiverCentre.

Best of Green Schools recipients reflect the hard work being done in K-12 schools through grassroots organization, cross-sector collaboration, and hands-on experiential learning to build healthy, sustainable learning spaces and foster the next generation of 21st century leaders. This year’s awards recognized nine individuals, institutions, and projects including SSFUSD – the only system-wide school district award recipient and only Best of Green Schools winner from California in 2019.

Inspiring Students with Sustainability 
SSFUSD Superintendent Dr. Shawnterra Moore shared, “Our designation as one of the 2019 Best of Green Schools is a phenomenal testament to our community’s passion for sustainability and expansive view of what we consider ‘the learning environment.’ We have collectively shaped our district identity through impactful energy upgrades both inside and outside of the classroom that are tied to integrated STEM offerings for our students that go beyond a typical school day. It is an honor to be named alongside other leading groups committed to cultivating the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and innovators who will tackle the environmental challenges of our day and make positive change.”

Through a long-term partnership with ENGIE Services U.S., SSFUSD is in its ninth year of leading their district-wide sustainable energy and STEM education program. Serving SSFUSD’s nearly 9,000 students, the program includes 2.02 megawatts of solar capacity, new LED stadium lighting, and a variety of other energy efficiency and infrastructure upgrades that improve overall safety and comfort for teachers and students.

The program goes beyond technology upgrades by connecting energy improvements with the learning environment through real-world, hands-on activities for students and professional development for teachers, including an annual Summer of STEM program.

Success through Stewardship  
“These honorees truly embody the value of stewardship,” said Anisa Heming, director, Center for Green Schools at USGBC. “The work they have done to advance environmental literacy and the quality of the spaces where learning takes place, is so impactful. Youth everywhere are inspiring what the future of our world should look like; and we are committed to supporting them in that effort.”

“We are so proud to celebrate our valued partner SSFUSD’s ongoing success as a national, K-12 leader in sustainability and STEM education,” said ENGIE Services U.S. Vice President of Business Development Courtney Jenkins. “From the visible transformation of the district as it implemented solar power, to the exciting LED stadium lighting upgrade at their high school football field, to more students joining the Summer of STEM offering every year, SSFUSD demonstrates their commitment to truly embodying what being a ‘green’ school means every day of the year.”

The SSFUSD community continues to achieve significant success from their comprehensive energy and STEM education program, including:

• Expected savings of $24MM in energy costs as a result of energy upgrades and renewable generation capacity
• Reducing annual electric usage by 60%
• Supporting student achievement with hands-on STEM learning opportunities, including a summer STEM Institute that has engaged over 2,000 students to date and provided professional development to over 150 teachers

About South San Francisco Unified School District: To learn more about the District, visit: https://www.ssfusd.org/. To learn more about SSFUSD’s energy and STEM education program, read the case study at: https://engieservices.us/success-stories/success-story-south-san-francisco-unified-school-district/.

About ENGIE Services U.S.: ENGIE Services U.S. is a national energy company that works with education, government, commercial, industrial, and other organizations. We deliver integrated Energy Effective™ programs that drive sustainable results. As part of the #1 energy services provider in the world, we provide an extensive set of energy and sustainability management services to thousands of customers throughout the United States. Over the past 40 years, ENGIE Services U.S. has provided more than $2.7 billion in savings for our customers. For more information, please visit https://engieservices.us, or contact Lani Wild, Manager of Communications, at 415-735-9080.

About the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council: 
The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) believes that all students deserve to attend sustainable schools that enhance their health and prepare them for 21st century careers. The Center encourages communities to work together toward a future that is healthier for people and the planet. Through its educational resources, professional learning networks, and industry-recognized tools, it equips supporters to educate students about global sustainability and deepen learning by acting in their communities. For more information, visit centerforgreenschools.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About the Green Schools National Network: 
The Green Schools National Network (GSNN) advances the national green and healthy schools movement by connecting like-minded and passionate education, non-profit, corporate, and public sector individuals and organizations. GSNN is nationally recognized as the premier partner in advancing collaboration to integrate a green and healthy culture in schools to ensure that current and future generations of students are environmentally literate as well as practice and promote sustainability in their communities. For more information, visit greenschoolsnationalnetwork.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Source: ENGIE Services U.S.