Green Schools Update (May)

by Steve Muzzy

I've been at the Chapter for nearly three weeks and have been getting up to speed with operations and meeting members of the Chapter network. It is inspiring to learn about all the activities the Chapter is involved in to advance green building. As Grey mentioned last month as the Green Schools Program Manager I will be focusing on the following activities:

• Establishing & Coordinating a Multi-Disciplinary, Massachusetts “Green School Building Coalition”
• Expanding the LEED Education & Practice Program
• Developing & Managing The Green Schools Project Matching Service

I will also be developing a Green Schools webpage on the Chapter website that will include resources to support green building retrofits and construction and highlight completed and current school projects. It will also provide data on the number of LEED projects at K-12 and higher education campuses across the State.

In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with questions or resources to share. Finally, I’d like to pass along some recent reports that may be of interest - highlighting how the education sector is supporting and advancing green building. 

New & Retrofit Green Schools: The Cost Benefits & Influence of a Green School on its Occupants

Published by McGraw-Hill Construction, this report reveals feedback from K-12 and higher education occupants and green school design and construction professionals, resulting in data and intelligence on the green education market and how it will evolve over time.

The Green Schools Investment Guide for Healthy, Efficient & Inspiring Learning Spaces 

From the Center for Green Schools, a free downloadable resource for K-12 schools and communities that demonstrates how schools can implement healthy and resource-efficient building improvements.

State of Our Schools 2013 Report

From the Center for Green Schools and their partners the “State of Our Schools” report estimates that it will take approximately $271 billion to bring public K-12 school buildings up to working order and comply with laws. These preliminary findings are a call for an updated survey on the condition of America’s schools.

(Excerpted from USGBC MA's May 2013 Newsletter)