$7.2 million to go to Cypress Street Campus upgrades
William Penn School District is receiving a $7.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for a high-efficiency upgrade of the Penn Wood High School — Cypress Street Campus in Yeadon.
The funding comes taxpayer funds as a result of the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which will create a healthier, safer learning environment and lower energy costs, supporters say.
The grant was announced in a press release U.S Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon and U.S. Sens. Bob Casey Jr. and John Fetterman, all Democrats.
The Cyprus Street Campus was built in 1947 and suffers
from deferred maintenance.
With the new funding, the district expects to construct a high-efficiency ambient heat pump heating/cooling system, high-efficiency LED lighting, a Building Automation System, and solar PV
roofing that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels and prepare the school for complete “net zero” energy generation, officials said.
Further, the project will help to educate students about energy generation, environmental impacts, engineering principles, and new technologies.
The district has also received Pennsylvania state funding and American Rescue Plan Act funding to improve ventilation systems at the school.
“To put Pennsylvania’s children and economy on the road to health and prosperity, I will always fight for policies that center families and invest in the bright futures of our young people,” Scanlon said. “I’m excited to announce that thanks to one of those policies — the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — the William Penn School District is being awarded a competitive $7.2 million grant to bring much-needed infrastructure improvement projects to fruition and create safer and healthier learning environments. From improved indoor air quality and thermal comfort to better lighting and reduced energy expenditures, the upgrades will directly impact the health and well-being of children and families while creating good-paying jobs to bolster our local economy.”
“Thanks to the infrastructure law, the William Penn School District can make much-needed upgrades to aging school facilities that students, faculty, and staff will benefit from for years to come,” Casey said. “This $7.2 million grant is an investment in our students’ health and our clean energy future in Delaware County.”
“The Renew America’s Schools grant program is a win for our students, our teachers, and our planet,” Fetterman added. “It will help fund projects to lower energy costs, lower emissions, and create healthier, safer, and more supportive learning environments in their schools, as well as provide hands-on student education about energy, technology, and the environment for William Penn School District students.”
The Department of Eneergy’s Renew America’s Schools Program is a $500 million program, funded by the infrastructure law, to make public schools more energy efficient.
The funding will be spread across fiscal years through 2026 and aims to help school communities make energy upgrades that will lower utility costs, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments.