Des Moines may be better known for the Iowa State Fair, but recently it's been turning heads for something else: energy savings in its school district.

The scoop

The city's public school district has roughly 70 facilities, most of which are more than 70 years old. But that hasn't gotten in the way of their energy upgrades, FacilitiesNet shared, calling the district "an energy-savings standout."

Many of their investments — which total nearly $500 million in the last three decades — have been focused on HVAC upgrades. Since 2000, almost every school in the district has installed a geothermal system, a heat pump, or both. 

The district's energy and environmental specialist, Tyler Puls, told FacilitiesNet that focusing on HVAC has been key to their savings.

"We've been able to accomplish a lot with energy efficiency and HVAC improvements that really make our facilities operate as good or possibly better than some newer facilities," Puls shared. "We've done that through geothermal work using heat pumps and just being on the cutting edge of technology as it comes out." 

The district also focused on tightening the building envelope, ensuring that there were no leaks that would weaken the efficiency of their improved HVAC systems. This often meant upgrading windows, roofs, and masonry, as facilities director Jamie Wilkerson shared.

"We had a fundamental shift probably in the 2008/2009 timeframe where we needed to make the investment in our core infrastructure and ensure that we're not behind in deferred maintenance," Wilkerson explained. "You can put the best HVAC system in there, but if your envelope's not tight, you're just throwing it away."

How it's helping

All the hard work has paid off — in money, environmental impact, and comfort. The district has already saved an estimated $25 million in energy costs in the last 15 years. And while only 65% of building spaces were air-conditioned in 2008, now 99% are.

One example is Park Avenue Elementary, which underwent renovations and improvements — including 180 new geothermal wells and insulation upgrades — that boosted its Energy Star score by 150% and slashed its energy use intensity by 68%.

Additionally, since heat pumps and geothermal HVAC systems don't use oil or gas to operate, they keep the air inside schools healthier and safer to breathe. The compounds and particulates emitted by burning these fuel sources have been linked to heart disease, asthma, and cancer, per Yale Climate Connections. Instead, using thermal energy keeps the school district clean and nonpolluting, benefiting students, teachers, and the environment.

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For homeowners, the principle is the same. Considering that HVAC costs make up roughly half of the average energy bill, new heat pumps are one of the most effective upgrades when it comes to slashing your utility bills and reducing your pollution footprint. And while it can be complex to find the right installer, there are great resources — like Mitsubishi's installer network — to help connect you with a trusted professional.

Although several federal tax incentives for home upgrades are expiring in 2026, rebates for heat pumps will continue to be available in the short term. That said, acting sooner rather than later could mean a difference of thousands of dollars.

What everyone's saying

In Des Moines, the facilities teams are taking their recent recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council as further confirmation of what they already knew.

"That push toward energy efficiency and making those good decisions that really impact the future is key," Puls shared. 

Even a third-party audit had trouble finding any cracks — literal or metaphorical — in the system. 

"They struggled to find the ones that really didn't perform," Puls boasted.

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