Bath Schools Get $381,640 Energy Efficiency Grant

The Ohio Department of Development's Advanced Energy Fund grant will fund LED retrofits and automation upgrades across three district schools.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Home Renovation

Bath Schools Get $381,640 Energy Efficiency Grant

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Bath schools received a $381,640 energy-efficiency grant from the Ohio Department of Development through the Advanced Energy Fund program. The district will match the grant for a $763,279 project that retrofits LED lighting and upgrades building automation across three schools.

Why it matters

The project is expected to save more than $75,000 annually in operating costs for the district. It also addresses an elementary school HVAC system that was improperly installed and has already cost the school $50,000 to $60,000 in repairs.

The state grant of $381,640 is matched by the district to fund a $763,279 project replacing roughly 11,200 lamps and fixtures and installing a web-based automation system. Work begins once grant funds arrive, and the source does not give a final cost for the elementary school HVAC replacement.

The players

Ohio Department of Development

The state agency that administers the Advanced Energy Fund grant program supporting energy-efficiency projects across Ohio.

The details

Bath schools will replace approximately 11,200 lamps and fixtures and install a new web-based automation system across three schools. The elementary school's HVAC system, which was improperly installed, will also be replaced, with completion expected in May.

Work begins as soon as the grant funds arrive.
The elementary school HVAC replacement is expected to be complete in May.

Culture Shift

Public schools across Ohio are increasingly turning to state-backed energy-efficiency funds to retrofit aging buildings and reduce recurring utility costs. The Advanced Energy Fund is the mechanism through which Bath's district is accessing this support for its lighting and HVAC upgrades.

Bath-area families will see the district's facilities upgraded over the coming months, with work starting once grant funds arrive. The district's energy savings, projected above $75,000 per year, could help limit pressure on local budgets.

The takeaway

State grants can cover a substantial share of school energy upgrades when local districts provide matching funds. Projects like this one also show how improperly installed systems can generate costly repairs that efficiency retrofits later address.