Philadelphia, PA

June 24, 2026

The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) and NORESCO announce the successful completion of the Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA-3) project, a transformative initiative that delivers utility cost savings, enhances classroom comfort, streamlines maintenance, and expands meaningful curriculum integration and student engagement.

As part of SDP’s third GESA initiative, NORESCO implemented major facility upgrades at eight schools, including new direct digital control energy management systems and modernized HVAC infrastructure. These improvements represent a major advancement for energy efficiency and sustainability for the district while supporting healthier, more comfortable learning environments.

To further advance SDP’s energy conservation and sustainability goals, NORESCO’s Green Operations team delivered a comprehensive suite of strategic initiatives for students, teachers, and staff. These efforts supported SDP’s GreenFutures plan by fostering a culture of sustainability and helping schools operate as high‑performance learning environments. The program equipped students with the knowledge and skills needed for a changing world through behavior audits, conservation training, enhanced communications, staff engagement, STEAM activities, student‑teacher learning opportunities, and green career exploration. Using a hands‑on, cross‑disciplinary approach, each initiative was tailored to meet the specific needs of every GESA‑3 school.

“Philadelphia, like many urban school districts across the U.S., faces the continuous challenge of finding thoughtful and innovative ways to improve building conditions, strengthen operational performance, and reduce long-term costs. This collaboration with NORESCO is an example of how sustainability and resilience are not separate from our academic mission but are fundamental to helping students and staff thrive,” said Teresa Fleming, Chief Operating Officer of the School District of Philadelphia.

Before the GESA‑3 project, the eight schools struggled with outdated and unreliable control systems that made it difficult to maintain comfortable and efficient learning environments. NORESCO addressed these challenges by removing legacy equipment and installing modern control systems across these schools. With new controls and user-friendly workstations, each school is equipped to maintain optimal indoor conditions, reduce maintenance concerns, and support long‑term energy savings.

SDP also faced a range of HVAC system challenges, including outdated equipment, inconsistent heating and cooling methods, and limited mechanical ventilation. By designing modern solutions customized to each school’s needs, NORESCO significantly improved ventilation, heating, and cooling. The result is more comfortable indoor environments for students and teachers, along with reduced concerns for maintenance staff.

“Partnering with the School District of Philadelphia on the GESA 3 project has been a rewarding and inspiring journey for NORESCO,” said Jeremy Garfield, Vice President, NORESCO. “Through a dynamic and collaborative approach, we were able to deliver innovative, custom solutions that addressed SDP’s desire to enhance classroom learning and advance sustainability. This partnership not only empowers students and educators today, but it also lays the foundation for lasting positive impact for years to come.”

About NORESCO

NORESCO helps customers modernize aging building systems and upgrade energy and water infrastructure to meet evolving demands. We implement innovative energy efficiency, distributed generation, energy storage, and renewable energy solutions that optimize the operational efficiency and improve resilience of buildings, campuses, military installations, and communities. To date, NORESCO has implemented solutions that provide more than $5 billion in guaranteed energy and operating cost savings at more than 10,000 facilities, while reducing customer CO2 emissions by more than 25 million metric tons, the equivalent of planting 1.4 million acres of forest. For more information, visit www.noresco.com.