Norman Public Schools added 11 buildings to its roster of EPA ENERGY STAR-certified facilities, bringing the district's total to 25.

That is nearly 80% more than the 14 buildings certified the previous year, and every building the district submitted earned approval, according to an NPS announcement published Sept. 14. The list includes Norman High School and Norman North High School, along with elementary and middle schools across the district.

"Our commitment to energy conservation allows us to invest more resources where they matter most: our students and classrooms," Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operating Officer Justin Milner said in the announcement.

To qualify, each building had to score 75 or higher out of 100 on the EPA's energy performance scale, placing it in the top 25% of similar facilities nationwide. A professional engineer or registered architect must verify each application, according to NPS board minutes from a June 9, 2025, presentation by Energy Specialist Sarah Chan.

Utility costs are one of the district's largest operating expenses. NPS spent roughly $20.2 million on operation and maintenance of plant services during the 2024-2025 school year, out of a total budget of about $189.7 million, according to Oklahoma State Department of Education records. The district serves about 16,048 students.

The savings effort centers on a behavior-based conservation program run in partnership with Cenergistic, an energy management company. The board approved a service agreement with Cenergistic at its June 9, 2025, meeting. Chan works with campus staff and Cenergistic engineers to monitor energy usage and optimize building systems, the district said.

No major equipment upgrades are required. The program focuses on changing how staff operate buildings day to day.

The 25 certified buildings span elementary, middle and high school campuses, plus the Administration Building and Dimensions Academy. They include Adams, Cleveland, Eisenhower, Jackson, Jefferson, Kennedy, Lakeview, Lincoln, Madison, McKinley, Monroe, Reagan, Roosevelt, Truman, Washington and Wilson elementary schools. Truman Primary, Alcott, Irving, Longfellow and Whittier middle schools also earned certification.

The Cenergistic partnership targets continued reductions in energy consumption across all 25 buildings and the district's remaining facilities.