Dear Sac City Unified families,

At the October 5, 2023 Board of Education meeting, the Board unanimously approved a resolution presented by Facilities department staff to adopt carbon neutral goals and guidelines as part of our Facilities Plan, which will receive a California School Board Association (CSBA) Golden Bell Award for the Equity and Access category. 

In 2019, we partnered with New Building Institute (NBI) and Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD) to audit our district-wide energy consumption and establish a baseline to set achievable targets over the next two decades which in the long term will not only neutralize our carbon footprint but save the district money through energy efficiency. The goals and guidelines apply to capital projects like new construction and major building modernizations as well as maintenance work and retrofits. 

By 2030, we aim to drop our energy consumption 40% below baseline; by 2040, below 80% of baseline and by 2045, we’ll achieve carbon neutrality. We plan to accomplish this through grid harmonization, the use of energy efficient equipment such as LED lighting, leveraging renewable energy like solar and switching to electric vehicles while also electrifying existing gas-powered appliances. 

There are so many reasons we are pushing this initiative forward, but to name a few: 

• Carbon neutral schools are NOT more expensive and natural gas prices are volatile.
• Climate change is a threat to the health of our planet and all living things.
• The choices we make now to address climate change are critical to minimize its impact.

We care about our students, staff and community, and setting these goals and guidelines is a step toward building a brighter future for all of us.