This guide addresses contributions that school facility administrators and business officials can make in an effort to reduce operating costs and free up money for capital improvements. The guide explores opportunities available to utilize energy-saving strategies at any stage in a building's life, from its initial design phase through renovation. The guide explains how design guidelines can help create high-performance school buildings. It also explores the use of energy equity to finance school energy improvements, and it discusses how smart energy decisions benefit schools, communities, and the environment. It further shows how much schools can save by making certain energy choices, and it establishes the link between daylighting and enhanced test scores. (GR)