New York State's Classroom Temperature Law

By Kendra McQuilton,
Energia CEO

What You Need to Know about the New NYS Classroom Temperature Law.

What You Need to Know about the New NYS Classroom Temperature Law.

New York State’s Classroom Temperature Law

Starting September 2025, a new New York State law addressing classroom temperatures goes into effect. The new law mandates specific actions and temperature thresholds to ensure a healthy and productive learning environment for students and staff, and it requires your immediate attention to ensure compliance and student well-being.

As rising global temperatures make hot days more frequent and intense, your school buildings and the comfort of those within them are directly affected. This new law, which establishes a maximum temperature for student-occupied spaces in public schools, is a direct response to these growing concerns. This is a critical new piece of legislation that will significantly impact your school district.

Understanding New York State’s Classroom Temperature Law

The core of this new law revolves around two critical temperature thresholds and the required mitigation efforts:

(1) 82 Degrees Fahrenheit (measured at a shaded location, three feet above the floor near the center of the room):

When the temperature in an occupied classroom reaches 82 degrees Fahrenheit, schools are required to take actions to relieve heat-related discomfort. While the law does not mandate specific actions, it provides examples of measures that should be taken, including:

  • Turning off overhead lights (which generate heat).
  • Pulling down shades or blinds to block direct sunlight.
  • Providing fans to circulate air.
  • Opening classroom doors and windows (if outside conditions are cooler).
  • Turning off heat-producing electronics.
  • Providing water breaks to ensure hydration.

(2) 88 Degrees Fahrenheit (measured at a shaded location, three feet above the floor near the center of the room):

If the room temperature in an occupied classroom reaches 88 degrees Fahrenheit, the room may no longer be occupied by students or staff. This means that if the measures outlined above fail to reduce the room temperature, students and staff must be relocated to a cooler part of the facility or to a different, cooler facility on campus where practicable. If no suitable alternative is available and the temperature cannot be mitigated, it could lead to building closures, similar to snow days, potentially requiring a transition to remote instruction.

This law also mandates that school boards create a policy for extreme heat condition days, which must be incorporated into their building-level safety plans as an emergency situation.

How an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) Project Can Address Heat Mitigation

Meeting the requirements of this new law, especially the 88-degree threshold, will likely necessitate significant infrastructure upgrades for many school districts. An Energy Performance Contract (EPC) project offers a comprehensive and financially viable solution to address these challenges. An EPC allows for energy efficiency improvements and other facility upgrades to be funded through the guaranteed energy savings generated by the project, with no upfront capital expenditure required from the school district.

Here are examples of key measures an EPC project could implement to effectively mitigate heat and ensure compliance with the new NYS temperature law:

Improved HVAC Systems and Ventilation:
 This is often the most impactful measure. An EPC can facilitate:

  • Upgrading existing HVAC systems: Replacing outdated, inefficient systems with modern, high-efficiency units that can effectively cool and dehumidify classrooms. This may include central air conditioning systems or more localized solutions.
  • Adding Air Conditioning to Classrooms: For schools without existing AC, an EPC can fund the installation of new air conditioning units for individual classrooms or throughout entire buildings. This could involve traditional split systems or more often Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems for zoned control and high energy efficiency.
  • Enhanced Ventilation: Improving ventilation rates through upgraded unit ventilators, air handlers and ventilation fans. Ensuring proper air circulation can significantly reduce heat buildup and improve indoor air quality.

Building Envelope Upgrades:
 Building exteriors play a crucial role in heat gain. EPC projects can include:

  • Window Film: Applying specialized window films can dramatically reduce solar heat gain by reflecting sunlight while still allowing natural light to enter. This is a cost-effective solution for existing windows.
  • Window Shades and Blinds: Installing high-performance, reflective, or insulating window shades and blinds can offer immediate and effective control over solar heat gain.
  • High-Performance Windows: For more extensive renovations, replacing old, inefficient windows with new, high-performance windows with multiple panes, low-emissivity (low-e) coatings, and insulated frames can significantly reduce heat transfer.
  • Increased Insulation: Improving insulation in walls, roofs, and attics can reduce heat transfer from the outside into the building.
  • Cool Roofs: Applying reflective coatings or materials to roofs can significantly reduce the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the building, thereby lowering indoor temperatures.
  • Rooftop SolarPV: Solar panels act as a thermal shield, preventing a significant amount of solar radiation from directly reaching and heating the roof. This effect, combined with the airflow beneath the panels, helps to keep the roof and the building below cooler, which can lead to reduced cooling loads and lower energy consumption for air conditioning.

Passive Cooling Strategies and Other Heat-Mitigating Measures:
A series of mitigation efforts can also help reduce heat levels in classrooms, including:

  • Optimized Daylighting and Lighting Controls: Utilizing natural light effectively can reduce the need for heat-generating artificial lighting. Implementing smart lighting controls with occupancy sensors can further minimize heat from lights in unoccupied spaces.
  • Ceiling Fans in large spaces: While not a complete cooling solution, energy-efficient ceiling fans can enhance comfort by increasing air movement, making occupants feel cooler even at higher temperatures.
  • Building Automation Systems (BAS): Implementing a BAS allows for centralized control and optimization of HVAC systems, lighting, and other building systems, ensuring efficient operation and proactive responses to temperature changes.

Energia’s Role

Our scope of services during every energy-savings project include:

  1. Act as the Technical Owners’ Representative for School Districts.
  2. Provide a focused and dedicated team of technical and financial advisors.
  3. Request and review competitive proposals from energy services companies (ESCOs), so you can be confident your procurement process is performed with utmost integrity.
  4. Work with the ESCO selected to identify your energy project’s size and potential scope.
  5. Help your organization review, modify, and accept the energy project contract to obtain the best terms and outcome.
  6. Prepare detailed project plans and specifications.
  7. Oversee project construction from first day to final acceptance.
  8. Measure the actual energy savings to ensure you realize the full savings you’re anticipating.

By proactively addressing these challenges through an EPC project with Energia, we can ensure that your schools meet the new state requirements, provide a comfortable and conducive learning environment for your students, and achieve long-term energy savings that benefit the entire district.

I would be happy to discuss this in more detail and explore how an EPC could be tailored to meet our district’s specific needs and ensure compliance with this vital new law

Contact Me About Your School District