Cooling Schools in a Hotter Climate

Cooling Schools in a Hotter Climate by Climate Central presents interactive infographics and local data illustrating the rising demand for classroom cooling across the U.S. as the climate warms. Using historical temperature records, the analysis tracks changes in cooling degree days (CDD) during the back-to-school period (July 17 to September 8) from 1970 to 2023 in 243 U.S. locations—defined using a nationally representative sample of school start dates from Pew Research Center. The findings reveal that nearly all (95%) of the analyzed locations have experienced an increase in CDD, signaling greater energy demands for indoor cooling in schools and other buildings. On average, cooling demand during this critical school period is now 32% higher than in the early 1970s. In 10 locations, CDD more than doubled. The largest increases were seen in the West (+86%), Northwest (+62%), Northern Rockies and Plains (+40%), and Southwest (+38%). The resource emphasizes how regional trends vary, enabling users to explore and compare local and national developments in school cooling needs.