Many State School Building Official associations — ASBO included — are heading into 2026 with the same core priorities:
School business officials are focused on three things:
1. Modernizing their state’s school finance system.
2. Maintaining a skilled, stable district workforce.
3. Investing in school infrastructure in a way that’s actually sustainable.
Energy Savings-as-a-Service (ESaaS) isn’t a theory. It’s a way for schools to meet — and exceed — all three.
Here’s how ESaaS changes the equation:
1. Infrastructure gets upgraded the right way. Private capital is used to modernize lighting, building envelopes (including roofing), HVAC systems, boilers, and more — with a pragmatic goal of meeting and exceeding ASHRAE 241, cost-effectively.
· We aim to work with the American Society of Civil Engineers to help move public schools from a D+ to an A+ in infrastructure condition.
· We look to integrate ASHRAE 241, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) certifications, and other emerging school standards.
· We explore using emerging technologies like those developed by the @ARPA-H Building Resilient Environments for Air and Total Health (BREATHE) Program to make school indoor environments safer and healthier.
2. Facility teams aren’t sidelined — they’re empowered. Qualified district maintenance staff can participate in maintaining the assets ESaaS invests in.
· Any maintenance performed by the school’s team is reimbursed by the funding provider.
· This keeps institutional knowledge in-house and supports workforce stability.
3. The funding model finally makes sense. The current system is broken. Tax dollars alone can’t keep up. The 2025 State of Our Schools report (www.infrastructurereportcard.org) puts the need at $89 billion every year — not total, per year.
ESaaS allows schools to tap into private capital — where billions are actively seeking stable, long-term returns — while protecting public funds.
· Any building with aging infrastructure qualifies. The average public school is over 50 years old. Years of budget cuts and deferred maintenance have turned facility directors into professional firefighters. Band-aids have become the norm. ESaaS goes far beyond a traditional EPC.
· We’re not focused on “guaranteeing 8% savings” by cherry-picking projects that don’t address the real problems. What good is guaranteed savings when the HVAC system is failing, or the boilers may not make it through winter?
· ESaaS takes a holistic approach — reducing energy use and maintenance, repairs, and operating costs by investing across the entire district.
· The funding provider is responsible for all maintenance and repairs of the assets it invests in. That single fact changes everything. Engineers design very differently when they’re liable for performance, maintenance, and repairs over an 18-year term.
· Capital improvements become a predictable monthly operating expense that includes maintenance and repairs. Maintenance can no longer be cut — because the funding provider’s assets are legally protected for the life of the contract.
· State aid paired with private capital is protected. Better equipment is specified, assets are maintained, failures are reduced, and the vicious cycle of deferred maintenance is broken.
This is what a sustainable funding model actually looks like — one built around aligned incentives and real accountability.
The biggest question you may be asking: How can this possibly be affordable for public schools?
The answer is simple: Every ESaaS project is designed to drive down a school’s existing operating expenses enough that the new operating expense is at or below what the school is already spending today.
The older the infrastructure. The more deferred maintenance. The greater the opportunity for this to work.
Which means — quite frankly — most public schools in the U.S. qualify.
And in states that provide capital aid, this approach does even more. Pairing state aid with private capital not only strengthens project viability, but it can also free up district budgets for other critical needs like Pre-K capital and student transportation — both of which are essential to the long-term health of our public education system.
This is how you fix infrastructure without breaking school budgets.
For more information, take a look at our most recent It’s in the air newsletter: Vested Interest, The Missing Ingredient in Public School Infrastructure, or visit our website: www.SmartAirDefense.com, and feel free to book a free consultation to get started (easiest way is to book a meeting via our website).
