Oak Park board hears facilities audit and energy strategy; consultants recommend targeted solar and procurement steps

District staff and outside consultants updated the Oak Park ESD 97 Board on a multi-year master facilities planning process, task-force sustainability work and energy-management recommendations that could reduce long-term facility and utility costs.

Facilities and sustainability work District staff said consultants completed building system inventories and life-safety assessments for the district’s 10 facilities and that a facilities advisory committee is finalizing prioritized capital and health-and-safety items. The committee will review prioritization and cost estimates at an upcoming meeting and bring financial scenarios to a joint meeting in December.

Sustainability task force work coordinated with village and neighboring district partners and identified four working areas: food/waste/gardens, energy, green infrastructure and climate education. Staff described baseline metrics and initial actions and said they will craft an action plan and…