School Business Insider
The HVAC Opportunity School Business Officials Should Know About
What if replacing an aging school HVAC system could unlock a significant federal reimbursement? In this episode of School Business Insider, John Brucato sits down with Gabriela Rodriguez of UndauntedK12 to explore how school districts are using ground-source heat pumps and Elective Pay to modernize facilities while accessing federal energy tax credits. Gabriela breaks down how Elective Pay works, what project costs may qualify, and how provisions involving Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship, Domestic Content, and Energy Communities can significantly affect the value of a district's reimbursement. The conversation also gets practical: when districts should begin planning, who needs to be at the table, what SBOs should consider during procurement, how the IRS filing process works, and what school districts that have already received multimillion-dollar reimbursements can teach the rest of the field. With the opportunity for ground-source heat-pump projects extending through 2034, the decisions school leaders make today could help direct billions of federal dollars toward healthier, more efficient school facilities. For any SBO with HVAC replacement or facilities modernization in their long-range capital plan, this is a conversation worth hearing. Links from the conversation: Learn more about this opportunity: https://www.undauntedk12.org/energy-tax-credits-ground-source-heat-pumps Use this guide to maximize these funds: https://www.undauntedk12.org/ourwork/new-resource-modern-hvac-guide Share this one-pager: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WQrCdiys2Q5MlH_pmrfJv8CCpQLQx-Ka/view Read more in School Business Now: https://www.schoolbusinessnow.org/articles/2026/august-2026/the-hvac-opportunity-districts-cant-afford-to-miss Contact School Business Insider: Check us out on social media: LinkedIn Twitter (X) Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI Email: podcast@asbointl.org Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes! Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International. ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO International. ...
