Des Moines Public Schools

Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), the largest public school district in Iowa, was established more than 100 years ago and educates a diverse student body of more than 32,000 students. DMPS partners with ENERGY STAR® to promote energy efficiency awareness and education to students, faculty and staff members, and the greater community. DMPS is receiving ENERGY STAR Climate Communicator recognition for its commitment to educating district employees, leadership, students, members of the community, and outside organizations about the impacts of climate change. Key 2015 accomplishments include:

• Communicating about energy efficiency and climate impacts across all available district media, including e-mail, Web content, press releases, posters, public TV, and social media to deliver a comprehensive campaign on the importance of protecting the climate through saving energy. 
• Working with external organizations—including newspapers, online media, and EPA—to publish more than a dozen communications pieces highlighting energy efficiency at DMPS and the district’s involvement with ENERGY STAR.
• Delivering newsletters and periodic “Energy Tip” emails to more than 5,000 DMPS employees and sending an electronic energy poster to all district employees and district leadership to display in more than 60 buildings that summarize DMPS energy projects and accomplishments from the previous year. These activities encourage awareness and buy-in among staff members, students, and the public.
• Publishing a monthly Energy Report Card to communicate energy-related activities, report on energy performance at each of the district’s building, provide tips for saving energy, and share energy efficiency stories written by DMPS students attending the Iowa Energy & Sustainability Academy.
• Educating and empowering students to produce a video featuring a student host/spokesperson and student interviews explaining the importance of energy efficiency and the district’s efforts to improve energy performance in district schools.
• Posting regular updates about energy efficiency initiatives to the district’s social networks, including on the DMPS website, Facebook, Twitter, in DMPS newsletters, and more.