gren skül (Green and Sustainable Schools)

gren skül (Green and Sustainable Schools) Southwest Education Alliance September 10, 2008 Presented by: Donald S. Hughes, AIA Director of Facilities, Planning and Construction Union County Public Schools

green school /gren skül / n. a school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money[1] [1] From the USGBC web site for Green Schools

Why? Buildings are responsible for almost half of all annual green house gas emissions.[1] 76% percent of all electricity generated by US power plants goes to supply the building sector.[2] School construction is a part of the building sector and is therefore a contributor to global warming and changes with the Earth s climate. [1] U.S. Energy Information Administration [2] From the Architecture 2030 web site

So what can we do? Do the right thing! Be good stewards of environmental resources in the construction of new schools and renovation of older schools. Minimize our carbon footprint. Green and sustainable buildings are better teaching and learning environments. Better for the physical and mental health of the students and staff.

What is Sustainable Design? Sustainable design involves the design of the built environment with a sensitivity and use of materials and techniques that do not encourage the depletion of the natural resources of future generations. The EPA web site refers to sustainability as meeting the needs of the the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

What is Green Design? Going Green takes a different perspective on how we have been designing and building schools. We need to rethink some of the issues of school design: The size of schools The solar orientation The program of spaces The building materials The building systems (HVAC/lighting/controls) With these considerations we can save energy over the life of the school.

What is LEED? The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality.

What is USGBC? The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that certifies sustainable businesses, homes, hospitals, schools, and neighborhoods. USGBC is dedicated to expanding green building practices and education, and its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System.

Some Top Sustainable Items Daylight and Views Controllability of systems (Lighting & Thermal comfort) Low Emitting Materials Indoor Air Quality Recycled content Regional materials Recycle Construction debris Reduced heat island effect (roof) Light pollution reduction Optimize energy performance Minimize site disturbance Minimize footprint Maximize open space Minimize exterior surface

UCPS Green and Sustainable Schools New Town ES, August 2007 Rocky River ES, August 2007 Wolfe School, March 2008 (LEED) Stallings ES, August 2008 Elem. School L, August 2009 Middle/High School D, August 2010

Rocky River ES, Aug. 2007

Wolfe School, March 2008

MS/HS-D, August 2010

So where do we go from here? Is LEED the important part or do we need to just be good stewards of the Earth? What happens in 2030? meeting the needs of the the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Good Resources to link up to: U.S. Green Building Council - www.usgbc.org USGBC Build Green Schools - www.buildgreenschools.org Architecture 2030 - www.architecture2030.org