From Electric Buses To Green Labs: Princeton Schools Deepen Sustainability Efforts

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Public Schools is upgrading its buildings, expanding its electric fleet, and weaving sustainability into the classroom — and officials say the work is just getting started.

The district has completed major heating and cooling upgrades across all four elementary schools, installing high-efficiency boilers and heat pumps with support from PSEG's Direct Install Program, which covered 75 percent of the costs. The improvements are already reducing energy use and the district's carbon footprint, officials said.

"Each step forward represents not only environmental responsibility but also an investment in our students' understanding of science, systems, and citizenship," Superintendent Michael LaSusa said.

Princeton Public Schools tracks energy use quarterly through the EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and PSEG's My Smart Energy tools. The district is now exploring solar installations across all school buildings.

Two electric school buses entered service at the start of the 2025-26 school year, funded in part by a state Department of Environmental Protection grant and partnerships with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the NJ Clean Cities Coalition.

The district has also added electric lawn mowers and leaf blowers to reduce emissions and noise on school grounds.

The district is also midway through a districtwide chemical inventory, upgrading storage systems and waste disposal protocols in science labs while switching to greener cleaning products.

In the classroom, Princeton High School chemistry students are creating podcasts that propose solutions to real-world sustainability challenges.

Students in the Sustainable Environmental Systems program are implementing green projects across the district and the surrounding community.

This spring, the district plans to host a Sustainability Summit connecting students, teachers, and sustainability professionals to discuss science, policy, and community action.

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