Princeton Public Schools Earns 2026 Sustainability Makes $ense Award

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Public Schools has won a statewide award for energy-saving upgrades that district officials say have cut costs and shrunk its carbon footprint.

The district received the 2026 Sustainability Makes $ense Award from Sustainable Jersey for Schools. The award goes to a school district that has saved a significant amount of money by putting Sustainable Jersey for Schools actions in place.

The district says the initiatives it completed over the past several years were projected to save more than $290,000.

District representatives accepted the award at the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Annual Awards Luncheon. The luncheon was held during the New Jersey School Boards Association’s Workshop 2026 in Atlantic City.

“Our investments in more efficient facilities and practices have resulted in savings within our operating budget, the use of funding sources beyond the local tax levy, and a smaller carbon footprint,” Superintendent Mike LaSusa said.

LaSusa thanked Sustainable Princeton, and Jenny Ludmer in particular, for helping coordinate and lead the district’s sustainability efforts.

He said the next phase is already underway.

“We are currently in the midst of a significant solar installation across the district, an initiative we believe will yield even greater results,” LaSusa said. “It has been exciting to see all of this work in action.”

Much of the district’s energy work has focused on its four elementary schools. Upgrades include LED lighting, white reflective roofing on nearly all school roofs and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems.

PSE&G’s Direct Install Program covered 75 percent of the project costs through incentives, according to the district.

In 2019, the district completed free Local Government Energy Audits. It started a new round of audits in 2026 to find more ways to improve efficiency and lower operating costs.

The district also added two electric school buses for the 2025-26 school year. Grants from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the New Jersey Clean Cities Coalition helped pay for them.

Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon congratulated this year’s winners.

“This year’s award winners show what’s possible when communities make sustainability a priority,” Solomon said. “We congratulate them on their achievements and thank them for setting an example for schools across New Jersey.”

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