ADG-RB
Draft: January 20, 2016
ADMINISTRATIVE
REGULATION
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
DRAFT
Direct comments to
Joanna Pi-Sunyer
Green Schools Coordinator
Baltimore City Public Schools
jpi-sunyer@bcps.k12.md.us
443-642-4542
ENERGY AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION
I.
Purpose
This administrative regulation details the Energy and Resource Conservation component
of the Sustainability policy. It is intended to assist City Schools in meeting the energy and
conservation requirements of local and state agencies and to assist in reducing City
Schools’ consumption of energy, water and other resources.
II.
Guidelines
A. Responsible Parties
1. The Chief Operating Officer/designee shall develop an Energy and Resource
Conservation Plan that:
a. Includes implementation programs to meet and measure the goals adopted by
the Board and operational procedures related to: reducing energy and water
use, increasing the reuse of materials, reducing solid waste generation,
increasing recycling, increasing composting, and making the transportation
fleet more environmentally friendly; and
b. Helps City Schools comply with Maryland Energy laws, the Baltimore Energy
and Sustainability Plans, and the Maryland Recycling law.
2. The Facility Operations and Maintenance Office shall be responsible for the
implementation of the Energy and Resource Conservation Plan.
3. The Office of Teaching and Learning shall be responsible for integrating energy
awareness and conservation into curricula, consistent with the Maryland
Environmental Literacy Standards.
4. The Engagement Office shall cultivate partnerships with stakeholders to assist in
implementing this administrative regulation and the Energy and Resource
Conservation Plan, in conjunction with the Sustainability Steering Committee.
5. The Food and Nutrition Services Office shall be responsible for reducing energy
use in the storage and service of food as appropriate (when food quality standards
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are not lowered), including the purchase of regionally-sourced products in
accordance with administrative regulation ADF-RC.
6. The offices and departments named above shall work together to raise awareness
about energy and resource conservation throughout City Schools. Efforts may
include competitions and recognition of schools, individuals, and programs doing
exemplary work.
7. All staff and departments shall be responsible for encouraging and modeling
energy and water conservation practices, minimizing solid waste, and maximizing
recycling.
B. Implementation
1. Materials. The Procurement Office shall work with the Facilities Maintenance and
Operations Office and the Design and Construction Office to:
a. Procure and develop, to the maximum extent practicable, renewable energy
generation sources through the least-toxic sources possible, such as solar and
wind technologies, taking advantage of both on-site and off-site opportunities;
b. Purchase or lease energy-consuming products that meet Environmental
Product and Service Label Standards such as ENERGY STAR (e.g.
computers, copiers, appliances, HVAC equipment, lighting fixtures and bulbs,
water heaters and coolers, food service equipment, and vending machines) to
the greatest extent practicable, except when products are unavailable,
unaffordable, or unable to meet City Schools’ performance specifications
and/or requirements;
c. Promote the procurement of energy-efficient tools (e.g., programmable
thermostats, lighting sensors, and variable frequency drives);
d. Promote the use of energy-savings contracts for improvements, such as
lighting retrofits or heating and cooling upgrades;
e. Purchase water-consuming fixtures that meet the standards of the WaterSense
program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, unless they can be
demonstrated to be cost prohibitive over their life, unavailable or unable to
meet the needed performance requirements; and
f. Purchase, to the greatest extent practicable, equipment and products that
conserve water (e.g., faucet aerators, foaming hand soap, and microfiber
mops).
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2. Design and construction. During the planning and implementation of new
construction, renovations or system replacement projects, project administrators
shall:
a. Prioritize energy efficiency by analyzing equipment, materials and design
scenarios to consider upfront costs and long-term operating costs, including
energy use and maintenance;
b. Seek and utilize public and private rebates and other energy and water
conservation incentives and grants, whenever possible;
c. Achieve, at a minimum, LEED Silver certification or another nationally
recognized certification as approved by the Board for all new construction and
major renovation projects;
d. Notify the Operations and Maintenance Office when there is a change in a
utility account, or a meter is requested, transferred or abandoned; and
e. Plan for recycling during both construction and ongoing operations.
3. Waste management.
a. Solid waste. City Schools shall strive to reduce the volume and toxicity of
solid waste it creates through purchasing products that create less waste and
re-using materials already owned by City Schools.
b. Reduce, reuse and recycle.
i.
City Schools shall work to reuse as many items as possible, thus reducing
the volume of trash and recycling.
ii.
The Maryland Recycling law requires each county including the City of
Baltimore to develop a plan to implement recycling. City Schools shall
aim to divert as much of its waste through recycling as possible, including
but not limited to paper, glass, plastic, metal, light bulbs, text books, and
electronics.
c. Composting. City Schools shall explore ways to effectively compost food and
other organic waste, including on-site and off-site opportunities.
4. Transportation.
a.
Buses and vehicles owned by the Board, and those of companies contracted
with the Board, shall meet, and if possible, exceed, all federal and state
regulations regarding fuel efficiency, emissions, and safety guidelines.
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b. City Schools staff, students, contractors, and visitors must comply with the
Maryland Engine Idling law.
c. City Schools shall collaborate with the City of Baltimore to promote safe
transportation to and from schools, including programs such as Safe Routes to
School, walking school buses, and the provision of bike racks.
5. Water. The Health and Safety Office shall work toward providing safe tap water
for consumption and avoiding the use of bottled water to the greatest extent
possible; and
6. Optimal learning environment. The Facilities Maintenance and Operations Office
shall help to create an optimal learning environment in each school, including
appropriate lighting, a comfortable temperature, and good indoor air quality.
C. Monitoring and goals. The Facilities Maintenance and Operations Office shall:
1. Review progress on the Energy and Resource Conservation Plan;
2. Maintain a utility database and identify billing errors;
3. Benchmark energy, including renewable energy, and water consumption and costs
in a utility management database by location and year;
4. Benchmark solid waste volumes and costs in a utility management database by
location and year;
5. Share relevant information with the Council of Great City Schools for its Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs). Possible metrics include: utility usage per square
foot, utility cost per square foot, water usage per square foot, and water cost per
square foot; and
6. Annually, document the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of all board school facilities
by October 15th and compare it to previous years’ data to identify best practices
and schools and facilities in need of system or behavioral improvements.
III.
References
Related Policies and Administrative Regulations:
ADF; ADG; ADG-RA; ADG-RC; DJA; DJA-RA
Regulation History:
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