Letter to the Editor: LexCAN’s statement of support for the new LHS

On Monday, Dec. 8, Lexington voters will be asked to approve a debt exclusion in order for the town to raise property tax revenue to fund the Lexington High School project. The Lexington Climate Action Network’s (LexCAN) board supports approval of the debt exclusion to fund the LHS project.

Why LexCAN Supports Approval

LexCAN has a mission to educate the community about the urgency of addressing climate change; to advocate for environmentally sustainable, equitable policies; and to act in collaboration with others to promote bold solutions that protect living systems. A new high school is an infrastructure investment that will serve students and our community for over 50 years. That means the choices we make now regarding the project’s land use, building materials and energy systems will impact Lexington’s carbon footprint and commitment to sustainability for decades. We support the new high school project because it is one of the most significant opportunities our town has to reduce emissions, model climate leadership and provide students with a safe, healthy learning environment for decades — all while saving the town an estimated $90 million over the 30-year life cycle of the proposed energy systems due to lower, upfront operational and maintenance costs, as well as revenue generated from surplus electricity produced.

Operational Energy vs. Embodied Carbon

We’ve heard concerns about the embodied carbon that is released when demolishing the old building and the carbon impact of materials used for new construction — that matters. But we also have to consider the ongoing waste of heating, cooling and powering an inefficient structure year after year.

A modern, well-designed high school can dramatically cut annual energy use through insulation, electrification and the maximization of solar generation and battery storage on site. Over the life of the building, these energy savings are significant and the better choice when weighing realistic alternatives for the LHS project.

A Healthy, Climate-Ready Place to Learn

Students, faculty and many members of the community will utilize this new infrastructure. Air quality, lighting, thermal comfort, and resilience to flooding and extreme heat are not extras — they directly affect health and learning. A climate-ready school shows students that our town is serious about the future they will inherit.

Leading the Way on Sustainability

For decades, Lexington has been at the vanguard of municipal-led initiatives in addressing climate change and transitioning to a clean community. The new high school can be a model for public buildings beyond Lexington, showing that climate commitments are not abstract goals but practical choices made in design and construction.

To that end, LexCAN’s board would further urge the Select Board, School Building Committee (SBC), Permanent Buildings Committee, and the project’s architects and engineers to retain all the heating/cooling, solar, EV charger and battery storage design elements approved by the SBC on Aug. 18, 2025 through the upcoming value engineering process to ensure that the final building design supports Lexington’s commitment to sustainability while maximizing long term economic return.