Puyallup School District – Champions of Sustainability 

McKinstry, in partnership with Lumen Field, has launched the Zero+ Champions of Sustainability Awards, a multi-year initiative recognizing organizations making measurable progress in environmental stewardship. Nominated for their considerable commitment to energy efficiency throughout their campuses and buildings, McKinstry is proud to recognize Puyallup School District for their consistent pursuits above and beyond the baseline requirements of Washington’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard.

Puyallup School District: Leading by Example

As the sixth-largest school district in Washington State, Puyallup School District (PSD) serves more than 23,000 students across 34 schools and 54 buildings, totaling more than 2.9 million square feet. Guided by a strong commitment to sustainability, the district is focused on creating energy-efficient, healthy learning environments that support both student success and environmental responsibility.

Through long-term partnerships, Puyallup School District has made energy conservation a district-wide priority. Its powerED program combines energy data tracking, building operations investigations, smart building analytics and behavior-based conservation strategies to reduce energy use and promote environmental stewardship. The district’s investment in target repairs and optimized heating, ventilation and air conditioning schedules and settings have resulted in saving more than $163,000 annually in utility costs while reducing emissions and improving comfort across classrooms. This investment in efficient school operations has been recognized by Puget Sound Energy and Tacoma Power in the form of nearly $82,000 in energy management utility incentives to date.

Recognizing the challenges of aging infrastructure and rising utility costs, Puyallup School District continues to lead by example in aligning investments in facilities infrastructure with upgrades to energy efficiency systems and on-site renewables. Recent and upcoming projects including new HVAC; LED lighting and field lighting; upgraded kitchen equipment, retro-commissioning; and rooftop solar are on track to reduce the district’s energy usage by a further 600,000 kWH annually.

A History of Partnership and Progress

McKinstry has partnered with Puyallup School District for the past four years, providing comprehensive energy management, compliance strategy, capital planning and funding support. The collaboration began with a partnership to help the district implement low-cost energy-saving repairs discovered through of a districtwide retro-commissioning project. Puyallup School District later chose McKinstry as their consultative partner for Clean Buildings Performance Standard compliance. McKinstry’s analysis of current energy use against state targets helped develop a long-term strategy for all district facilities, guiding project needs during Puyallup School District capital levy planning to maximize impact.

“Our partnership with Puyallup School District has always been built on trust and collaboration. They’re deeply committed to doing what’s best for their students and community, and that shared vision is what makes the work so rewarding.” — Melissa Pendleton, Senior Account Executive, Energy, McKinstry

Results and Impact

Through this work, McKinstry helped Puyallup School District develop its Energy Management Plan (EMP) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) programs while continuing to provide energy management services, including incentive coordination with Puget Sound Energy and Tacoma Power. Together, they have secured nearly $600,000 from the Washington State Department of Commerce for energy audits at eight schools, $82,000 in energy management incentives and nearly $2 million for upcoming elementary school solar projects—all supporting Puyallup School District long-term carbon reduction goals.

These combined efforts have already saved more than 2 million kilowatt-hours and 70,000 therms, cutting annual utility costs by more than $163,000. Planned HVAC, lighting and solar upgrades are expected to reduce energy use by another 600,000 kWh each year, further lowering emissions and extending the life of district facilities.

“Our work with Puyallup School District has been a partnership to help make meaningful near-term progress towards their commitment to energy efficiency. Working alongside the district team, McKinstry’s energy engineers and building analytics have helped Puyallup School District make meaningful changes that optimize building operations while delivering comfortable, resilient learning environments for students and teachers.” — Grant Granger, Account Executive, Technical Services, McKinstry

Zero+ Champion of Sustainability

From energy audits and operational improvements to strategic planning and community engagement, Puyallup School District is setting a model for what’s possible when sustainability becomes part of a district’s identity. McKinstry and Lumen Field are proud to recognize PSD as a Zero+ Champion of Sustainability for its leadership, innovation and long-standing commitment to creating a brighter, more efficient future for students and the community.