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“All this started with students,” Barton said.

Rawat’s teacher in the environmental science class, Russ Barton, said students have led the way throughout Parkway’s sustainability efforts. “I want to pursue environmental policy and hopefully go to law school,” Rawat said. After graduation, she is headed to Stanford University. Rawat is a senior taking AP Environmental Science. Senior Anushka Rawat points out pumps, compressors and radiators. Inside Parkway South, a big room is filled with equipment to operate the system. for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Department of Energy for “demonstrating the energy and cost savings potential of renewable energy investments to schools across the country,” according to Alejandro Moreno, Acting Asst. The Parkway School District was recognized by the U.S. Louis Public Radio Russ Barton, AP Environmental Science teacher, walks past the school’s geothermal and chiller on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, during a tour of the plant at the school in Manchester.

“Investing in our schools, our school facilities, and our school buildings is not only a really important thing to do for our community, but it's an important investment that's going to last,” Vargas said. Vargas hopes other districts will follow Parkway’s lead and take on similar projects. Schools are the nation’s second largest sector of public infrastructure spending, behind roads and highways. The geothermal project cost more than $2.4 million, but the district expects to continue the annual savings for the system’s lifespan, which is expected to be multiple decades. Altogether, the district says Parkway South is saving more than $100,000 a year in energy costs compared to 2017. It also recently added solar panels to the building.
#THE OUTER WORLDS GEOTHERMAL PLANT INSTALL#
When an old chiller stopped working in 2016, the district decided to install the geothermal system. The Parkway South High School building is the biggest school in the district and consumes a lot of energy. Now the district has set a goal of an additional 35% reduction by 2035. It became part of the federal Better Buildings Challenge and met its goal of 25% energy use reduction in 2020. The Parkway School District has been working to improve energy efficiency for years. Louis Public Radio Ashley Sheets, a physical education teacher, rolls a kickball to a student on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, during a “fitness concepts” class at Parkway South High School in Manchester.
