Green Building Groups Form HVAC Change Lab

WASHINGTON -- Three nonprofits that support green buildings have formed the HVAC Change Lab, a partnership to improve health, safety, and academic success by upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in schools.

The organizations – the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, the National Center on School Infrastructure, and New Buildings Institute – are partnering with school districts and industry experts to create a peer network and provide one-on-one coaching and technical assistance to make school HVAC systems cleaner and more efficient.

The HVAC Change Lab will pilot a centralized support network for school districts, convening school facilities leaders, designers, health and climate experts, and other partners.

Aging HVAC systems in schools can lead to reduced indoor air quality, poor student health and educational performance, increased costs, and limited capacity to support community needs during extreme weather events.

The program will work with 12-15 districts around the country, including the eight listed below. Along with school district partners and the three managing nonprofits, the HVAC change lab involves a growing national network of organizations, also listed below.

These organizations will offer critical, hands-on technical assistance and deep wells of experience in specific areas relating to clean air, facilities management, and more. Additional participants will be added to the program website when formally confirmed.

“Being part of the HVAC Change Lab connects us with other districts facing similar challenges,” said a representative from Prince William County Public Schools, Va. “We’re excited to learn from their experiences and to serve as a resource, helping to build understanding, alignment, and enthusiasm for more efficient systems.”

School districts face persistent barriers to updating antiquated and inefficient systems, including limited staff capacity, fragmented access to technical guidance and funding opportunities, and difficulty navigating financing options and delivery models.

The HVAC Change Lab is designed to provide a coordinated network-based approach to support districts and help address these barriers. The program will help school districts successfully plan and implement facilities upgrades through coordination, shared learning, and practical, peer-to-peer support. It will also produce a field-tested library of resources and best practices for district leaders nationwide.

“We are excited and so pumped for what this relationship will do for our small school district,” said a representative from Davis County Community School District, Iowa.

The HVAC Change Lab implementation will begin in March 2026 and continue through spring 2027.
School districts, partners, funders, and technical experts interested in the HVAC Change Lab are invited to join the effort to improve air quality in schools and support healthier classrooms! Learn more and stay informed here.

School Districts

• Ann Arbor Public Schools, Mich.
• Boise School District, Idaho
• Canajoharie Central School District, N.Y.
• Davis County Community School District, Iowa
• Oakland Unified School District, Calif.
• Prince William County Public Schools, Va.
• Sacramento Unified School District, Calif.
• Waukee Community School District, Iowa

Network Partners:

• American Lung Association (ALA)
• ASHRAE
• Association of School Business Officers (ASBO) International
• Energy Services Coalition (ESC)
• Green Schools National Network (GSNN)
• National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO)
• National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)
• National Council on School Facilities (NCSF)
• National School Plant Managers Association (NSPMA)
• UndauntedK12

For more, go to school-infrastructure.org.