Rachel Gutter, Head of Education for the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), addressed the Colorado chapter’s Green Schools Summit on October 1st. Gutter works “on a national level to promote and facilitate the design, construction and operations of high performance, green schools and higher education facilities. She oversees USGBC’s National Green Schools Campaign as well as the LEED for Schools Green Building Rating System®, USGBC’s market-specific guidelines that recognize the unique nature and educational aspects of the design and construction of K-12 educational facilities.”

In her presentation, titled “The State of Green Schools,” Gutter stated that the USGBC’s vision for the future of school buildings is to have all green schools within a generation. With more than 125,000 K-12 schools in the United States, this a bold and broad goal. Gutter pointed to the Poudre Valley Schools in the Northern Colorado town of Fort Collins, which have had sustainable building guidelines in place since 2000, as an example of the leadership and vision for which the state has become known. According to the speech, in 2008 Bethke elementary school became the first LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified school in the United States. Bethke was also the focus of a case study (PDF) presented at the conference.

Gutter stated that throughout the US, nearly 2,000 schools are either currently certified under the LEED program, or have applied for certification. One to two buildings per day (including weekends) are applying for certification. The state of Ohio enacted Resolution #07-124 (Ohio School Facilities Commission) that will save the state $1,415,529,914 in today’s energy costs over the next 40 years.

As part of the speech, Gutter spent time showing the audience the redesigned website for Green Schools: GreenSchoolBuildings.org. According to the site, “Green schools cost less to operate, freeing up resources to truly improve students’ education. Their carefully planned acoustics and abundant daylight make it easier and more comfortable for students to learn. Their clean indoor air cuts down sick days and gives our children a head start for a healthy, prosperous future. And their innovative design provides a wealth of hands-on learning opportunities.”

On the site and in the speech, River Crest Elementary School in Wisconsin was cited as an example of a school that earned LEED Gold status while being constructed for 29% less (cost) than comparable schools in the region.

LEED for schools certification reflects specific requirements for educational settings, one of the unique feature of the LEED program. Schools are not subject to broad building codes, but rather ones that are specific to the needs of educational institutions. As mentioned in the first post on this conference, this special designation can have a positive impact on student learning and achievement by allowing for cutting edge pedagogy and instructional practices.

- Eric Wilson

[image source: GreenSchoolBuildings.org]