Over the past decade, Ravenswood City School District has made historic investments to modernize its campuses with sustainability at the core. Through more than $250 million in voter-approved bonds and additional outside funding, the district is rebuilding schools originally constructed in the 1950s—transforming them into healthier, greener, and more climate-resilient learning environments for students and staff.

A major focus of this work has been clean energy and electrification. Every school site now includes on-site solar panels, providing roughly 70% of the district’s annual energy needs and saving approximately $125k per year in utility costs. Heating systems are being converted from gas to electric, campuses operate on 100% renewable electricity through Peninsula Clean Energy, and energy-efficient lighting, HVAC systems, and MERV-13 air filtration have dramatically reduced emissions while improving indoor air quality.
.

The district has also reimagined its outdoor spaces to address climate impacts and student wellbeing. More than 1,300 trees have been planted across campuses to increase shade, reduce heat, and improve biodiversity—an average of over 250 trees per school. At Los Robles–Ronald McNair Academy, this work has culminated in an arboretum-style campus and a new outdoor science learning area that integrates environmental education directly into the landscape.

 

Water conservation and stormwater management have been equally transformative. Ravenswood has reduced total water use by approximately 68% since 2020 by replacing large irrigated lawns with turf fields, installing efficient irrigation systems, and using regionally appropriate landscaping. Several campuses now manage stormwater on site through bio-retention basins, rain gardens, and underground cisterns that capture runoff, protect local waterways, and recharge groundwater.

 

Together, these facilities investments represent a comprehensive approach to sustainable school design—one that lowers operating costs, reduces environmental impact, and creates healthier spaces for learning and play.