If you send your child to a public school, as I do, and have, or if you are a community member and you care about your public schools (that should mean everyone) — this message is for you.
I’m going to end this newsletter with one simple ask. But first, I want to explain something that could fundamentally change how we care for our public schools.
In my recent posts, you may have seen me use the phrase “zero-debt funding alternative.” I understand why that sounds unrealistic. Social media has a way of mixing real ideas with nonsense, and it can be hard to tell which is which.
So let me be clear: This is not free money. This is not a gimmick. And it is very real.
It’s called Energy Savings-as-a-Service (ESaaS)—and it offers a more sustainable way to modernize public schools without putting them into decades of debt. (There is a link to a 14-minute podcast about ESaaS at the end of this newsletter.)
How Schools Usually Pay for Major Improvements (And Why It’s a Problem)
Most public schools rely on bonds to fund big capital projects—new HVAC systems, roof replacements, building renovations, and more.
Bond cycles typically happen every 20–30 years. That means schools try to cram everything into one massive funding event. This leads to:
· Long periods of underinvestment
· Deferred maintenance
· Aging systems
· Emergency repairs
· Poor indoor air quality
And here’s the part many people don’t realize:
Bonds push today’s costs onto future families.
Future taxpayers end up paying for:
· Projects they didn’t vote on
· Systems that are already outdated
· Buildings nearing the end of their life
That’s intergenerational inequality—and it’s baked into the system.
Debt Creates Real Risks for School Districts
More debt can:
· Lower a district’s credit rating
· Increase future borrowing costs
· Make schools look financially unstable
Once a district’s rating drops, everything becomes more expensive.
There’s also a major mismatch between bond timelines and technology lifespans.
Many systems schools pay for with bonds—HVAC controls, filtration systems, sensors, software—last 7–15 years. Yet schools may still be paying for them long after they’re obsolete.
Until recently, bonds were the only option. So please don’t blame your superintendents or school business officials. They’ve been working within a broken system.
The Equity Problem No One Likes to Talk About
Bond funding is tied to property values.
Wealthier districts: ✔ Pass bonds more easily ✔ Get better facilities ✔ Pay lower interest
Lower-income districts: ✘ Struggle to pass bonds ✘ Pay higher interest ✘ Delay critical upgrades
This widens educational and health disparities.
And here’s the reality: Most public schools are in lower-income districts.
Meanwhile, costs are rising:
· Construction
· Labor
· Interest rates
All while schools face urgent needs around:
· Indoor air quality (IAQ)
· Ventilation
· Heat resilience
· Energy costs
· Electrification
· Aging buildings
Why This Matters So Much
Let’s pause for a moment.
Public schools are not just buildings. They are the foundation of our country’s future nurses, doctors, entrepreneurs, tech gurus, plumbers, electricians, etc.
If we fail to invest in healthy, safe, modern learning environments, we are actively limiting what future generations can become.
So What Is This “Zero-Debt Alternative”?
Energy Savings-as-a-Service (ESaaS) is not a bond. It’s not a loan. It’s not traditional financing.
It does create an obligation—but one that aligns incentives in a completely different way.
ESaaS looks at a school district holistically:
· Where can operating costs be reduced?
· Where are critical upgrades needed?
· What assets are failing?
· What must be modernized?
Some upgrades save money. Some don’t—but are essential.
Instead of cherry-picking a few energy measures and walking away (as many Energy Performance Contracts do), ESaaS addresses the whole ecosystem of a school.
What Makes ESaaS Different
With ESaaS:
· Schools don’t buy the equipment.
· They purchase a monthly service, similar to a utility bill.
· That service includes:
o The capital improvements
o Ongoing maintenance
o Repairs for the life of the contract
This is a game-changer.
Today, schools often install new systems and then defer maintenance due to budget pressure—creating a vicious cycle of failure.
Think of skipping oil changes in your car. Eventually, you’re not paying for maintenance—you’re paying for a new engine.
That’s what’s happening in our schools.
Why This Model Actually Protects Taxpayer Dollars
With ESaaS, the funding provider is responsible for maintaining and repairing equipment, they have a vested interest in:
· Designing better systems
· Choosing higher-quality assets
· Avoiding cheap, short-term solutions
This flips the entire incentive structure.
As a parent or taxpayer, you don’t want your school district owning and managing these assets.
You want that responsibility on the ESaaS funding provider, who hires the engineers, architects, and local contractors, and remains accountable for performance.
Where Does the Money Come From?
Smart Air Defense partners with Origyn International and Onsite Utility Services—organizations that have been doing this for over 30 years with private schools, private companies, and public agencies.
They work with institutional investors looking for stable, long-term infrastructure investments.
According to the 2025 State of Our Schools Infrastructure Report Card, public schools are underfunded by $89 billion every year.
ESaaS is one of the few models capable of closing that gap sustainably.
My Ask
If you’ve read this far, you care.
So here’s my simple ask:
Email this newsletter to your school superintendent and your school board.
They need to know there is another way.
Our children deserve better buildings, better air, and better learning environments—and we finally have a way to do it without drowning schools in debt.
If we want a better future, we must build it—starting with our schools.
For those who prefer to listen to an audio podcast, click on the link below for a 14-minute podcast on ESaaS: Smart Air Defense: Helping schools get funding using next-generation funding.
