Without our clients, we could not exist. They are not only our clients, but our audience, our laboratory, and our inspiration. Our client base is an impressive group of school systems, organizations, and business associations. These include the New York City Department of Education, Society for Organizational Learning (SoL), National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), United States Environmental Protection Agency - Hazardous Waste Division, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, Chinese Ministry, and more. All of our clients are working with us to educate for a sustainable future with their students, neighbors, and employees.

Client Highlight

The Cloud Institute is a consultant on the $2.1 million New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) School Power....Naturally program, part of the NYSERDA New York Energy $mart^SM Schools Program. This program is designed to educate New Yorkers about the role solar electric power can play in providing clean energy for our homes, schools, and workplaces.

In this program, 50 competitively selected schools receive a solar energy and data collection system, worth about $24,000, for a school contribution of $1,500, or over 90 percent of the cost to the school. This includes a 2 kilowatt (kW) grid-tied PV system installed on its roof, as well as additional features to link the hardware on the roof with lessons in the classroom. Students are discovering not only that a 2 kW system can meet about 25 to 30 percent of the energy needs of a typical home, but also how solar electricity works, and why it is an important option for producing clean, reliable, and inexhaustible energy.

All schools in New York can participate in School Power...Naturally by using the curricular materials and downloading data from the on-line systems. These materials are available at www.SchoolPowerNaturally.org.

Testimonials

"I am a teacher and parent living in NYC, and learned the work of the Cloud Institute through participation in the Creative Learning Exchange email discussions. The work you are doing is so important and exciting. I am a staff developer (K-3) and have a son who will enter middle school next fall. As a parent, I'd love to see my son participate in this type of learning; environment, design and sustainability are his passions. As a teacher and staff developer, I find the approach and direction of your work inspiring." Anonymous Email