Nov./Dec. 2007

Green Schools

Colorado Green School Advocacy Campaign Kicks Off

"Green Schools" Within a Generation

By Annette Stelmack and Deb Kleinman

Twenty percent of the American population attend school every day. Thousands of children across Colorado attend schools that pose serious threats to their health and safety. Thousands more attend schools that are in serious disrepair, breath unhealthy air in the classroom, and try to read in rooms with little or no natural daylighting.

The conditions in Colorado public school have reached a critical point. According to a 2005 Report issued by Denver- based Donnell-Kay Foundation, the total backlog of school construction and maintenance needs statewide is between $5.7 billion and $10 billion. Over 80 counties in Colorado in 2007 lack the bonding capacity to build schools, and many more are unable to raise adequate funds to meet current facility needs.

Green Schools Advocacy Campaign

This month, the USGBC Colorado Chapter launched a broad-based green schools campaign which will seize the opportunity presented by our crumbling classrooms to promote greener, healthier schools statewide. The USGBC Colorado Chapter is working with a diverse group of stakeholders at the state and local level, including architects and engineers, teachers and principals, educators and energy officials.

Our goal is to Green Colorado’s Schools Within a Generation!

Contrary to popular belief, green schools can be designed, built, and maintained within the constraints of tight district budgets. It costs less than 2% more to build a green school than to build a conventional school. An early commitment to green design and building, and an integrated
design process, allows green school projects to
(Image: Fossil Ridge High School)
come in at the same cost as a comparable non-green school.Cutting edge green school projects in Colorado have demonstrated that building green offers dramatic reductions in operations and maintenance costs. If all new school construction and school renovations across the country went green today, the energy savings alone would total $20 billion over the next 10 years. The financial benefits of building green appear quickly and last for the life of the school in the form of energy savings, and decreased human resources costs related to staff turnover and employee absenteeism. Fossil Ridge High School, a LEED- Certified school in Fort Collins, saves $100,000 a year – enough to hire two new teachers, buy 150 new computers, or purchase 5,000 new textbooks.

Perhaps more important than the fiscal bottom line is the positive impact green schools have on our children. Numerous studies have demonstrated direct benefits to student health and educational performance:

• Green schools lead to improved student health, test scores, and faculty retention

• Green schools have better lighting, temperature control, improved ventilation and indoor air quality which contribute to reduced asthma, colds, flu, and absenteeism

• Green schools reduce the dangerous air pollutants that cause respiratory disease and contribute to premature morbidity and mortality

Advocacy Committee Kick-Off

On December 4th, USGBC Colorado held a kick-off meeting to brainstorm Green School Advocacy goals, challenges, and key strategies. Twenty-one passionate, concerned and enthusiastic individuals volunteered to serve on the newly created Co re Committee, which will lead our efforts to green schools across Colorado. In the coming months, the Green School Advocacy Campaign will continue to identify key partners, provide information to support legislation in the upcoming General Assembly regarding capital funds for green school projects, and continue to develop and support local District Councils to work at the local level.

Two events are tentatively planned for the spring of 2008, including a half-day Green School Design Charrette, and a day-long Green School Summit. If you want to be part of the Green School Advocacy efforts, and are interested in leading or participating on a district team, please let us know…we need your help to ‘Green Colorado Schools within a Generation!   For more information, email Annette Stelmack, Green School Advocate, at annette@inspirit-llc.com.

Sources:
Colorado’s Crumbling Classrooms: A Report from the Donnell-Kay Foundation, 2005. Available at http://crumblingclassrooms.org/
Greening America’s Schools:  Costs and Benefits by Greg Kats, 2006, USGBC National

CBG / NovDec 2007 / Page 3