September 2nd, 2008 · 1 Comment

But not all school districts building schools to LEED standards report increased construction costs. And most school districts are drawn not just to the lower operating expenses that are projected. Researchers say green schools provide a healthier environment for learning with tangible results like reduced absenteeism and improved student test scores.

Kids and teachers at Walnut Bend, which has 750 students, missed fewer days in its first year of operation, Fernandez says. With less carpeting to trap dust and dirt, a high-efficiency air filtration system and building materials that are low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds), Fernandez says longtime teachers reported fewer allergy problems during the school year.

Other features like increased natural daylight and better acoustics are thought to help youngsters focus on their work.

Then there are the numerous intangible benefits of occupying a school with state of the art building techniques, especially one with a large percentage of low-income students, like Walnut Bend.

“It’s a beautiful atmosphere for them and they want to help keep it clean,” Fernandez says. “For many of them, this school is their refuge.”

The students are also keenly aware of how their school is special - a revolving display in the school’s foyer will feature wind power this fall and focus on other aspects of conservation throughout the year. In the outdoor nature center, they can observe weather, grow plants or examine visiting butterflies.

Still, if green schools like Walnut Bend are a major trend in new school construction, that still leaves hundreds of thousands of schools with high energy costs and other problems associated with conventional construction and maintenance.

That’s why USGBC’s next focus will be on providing LEED certification standards for existing schools, Gutter says.

The non-profit group is in the process of selecting less than a dozen schools for a pilot project on energy retrofits and other modifications for existing schools.

“We’re going to be working with those school districts to crack the code and together we’ll come up with a best practices manual,” Gutter says.

Continued work also needs to be done to make sure that new greener schools are maintained correctly, she says, which means educating everyone from building directors to janitorial staff to cafeteria workers to teachers. A floor finish that doesn’t require chemicals to clean doesn’t stay green unless it’s maintained properly.

Copyright © 2008 | Distributed by Noofangle Media

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