The School District of Osceola County’s magnet high school NeoCity Academy, which opened in fall 2019, is arguably a modern marvel.

Power comes from a solar array. Sensors monitor indoor air quality and energy use, which are managed through a building automation system. Energy-efficient LED lighting provides illumination throughout, while cameras and access control cards help ensure security. It’s billed as the state’s first zero energy–consumption K–12 building.

“We collect data all the time to make sure we are staying on track,” says Marc Clinch, the Florida district’s chief facilities officer.

“We have a goal to achieve an Energy Use Intensity score of 20,” Clinch said, referring to the Environmental Protection Agency’s benchmark for determining its Energy Star ratings for buildings, “and we are tracking at about 16 right now, which is really low. Other buildings are in the range of 65 or more.”

While such smart building technologies are typically associated with college campuses or big commercial facilities, experts say that some of these emerging approaches could bring big savings to K–12 schools, which presently spend about $6 billion a year on utility costs, according to the Department of Energy.

In addition to saving energy, K–12 could leverage smart approaches to streamline building maintenance and enhance school safety.