Of the three green school rating systems under discussion, more schools have been built using the LEED rating system than either CHPS or Green Globes. Let’s look this week at LEED for Schools. (LEED has several different categories – this discussion is specific to LEED for Schools only.) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), as of 2009, uses 100 points. Another 10 points are able to be earned by the use of Innovation in Design and Regional Priority strategies. The 100 points are earned in five areas:
1. Sustainable Sites (SS)
2. Water Efficiency (WE)
3. Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
4. Materials and Resources (MR)
5. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
And the two optional strategies:
1. Innovation in Design (ID)
2. Regional Priority (RP)
Each of the five mandatory strategies (SS, WE, EA, MR, and IEQ) are further broken down into prerequisites – mandatory requirements, and credits. Each LEED building must meet all the prerequisites in order to obtain LEED certification at any level. Once prerequisites are met the project uses credits as a “shopping list” based on the project’s environmental and performance goals for certification.
LEED certifications are awarded on the following basis:
LEED Platinum 80 points and above
LEED Gold 60-79 points
LEED Silver 50-59 points
LEED Certified 40-49 points
The prerequisites (required strategies) for Sustainable Sites are
1. Construction Activity Pollution Prevention and
2. Environmental Site Assessment
A total of 17 credits are available for Sustainable Sites. Each credit is worth from one to four points.
The prerequisite for Water Efficiency is
1. Water Use Reduction
Four credits are available for Water Efficiency, with each credit worth from one to four points.
The prerequisites for Energy and Atmosphere are
1. Fundamental Commissioning of Building Energy Systems
2. Minimum Energy Performance
3. Fundamental Refrigeration Managerment
Eight credits can be earned for Energy and Atmosphere. Each credit is worth from one to nineteen points.
The prerequisite for Materials and Resources is
1. Storage and Collection of Recyclables
Ten credits can be earned for Materials and Resources, with each credit worth from one to two points.
The prerequisites for Indoor Environmental Quality are
1. Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance
2. Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control
3. Minimum Acoustical Performance
A total of twenty two credits can be earned for Indoor Environmental Quality, with each credit worth from one to three points.
Optional credits:
Innovation in Design offers one to four points for Schools, with one point awarded for each Innovation achieved, or provide Exemplary Performance in an existing prerequisite or credit.
Regional Priority credits are new to LEED as of 2009. Regional Priority’s six credits are based on specific environmental zones. “A project that earns a Regional Priority credit automatically earns one point in addition to any points awarded for that credit. Up to four extra points can be earned in this way”. For more information on Regional Priority credits go to www.usgbc.org
The LEED for Schools rating system is one that looks like a great building tool for schools across the nation. This provides a very detailed blueprint of ways to make the school environmentally friendly as well as medically safe for those who work and attend it. More importantly, it's something that starts a continuous process of development and improvement within our school systems.
ReplyDeleteC. Heimall - Manhattan College
The LEED for Schools rating system seems to be an effective tool being used across the nation. Very deatiled and organized, while being clear of what is needed. It is something that will continue to be modified and developed towards the needs of the various school systems.
ReplyDeleteMy high school building is over thirty years old. It would cost too much money to get this campus even a shade of green. We do try to do what we can by saving water, electricty, and recycling paper. We will keep trying to improve. Thanks for your time.
ReplyDeleteCGibbs(TSU)
I believe it is important to a have a safe and healthy environment for effective learning to occur. It is great to know a program like LEED exist. This program will benefit our future. However, in the back of my mind I see all of the much needed materials, staff, and music/art programs flying out of the window of our current schools. Could money for this program be spent differently to focus on our current situations? Can we find a balance?
ReplyDeleteI find that this seems like a useful guide that a district could use to try an build a "green" school building. Now, I am afraid that by attempting to get the green name and status, they could end up spending more money on this than a conventional school in the short term, but they may get that back in the long term through decreased energy costs and such. All in all, a sound guideline that should be considered when attempting to ascertain the sustainability of a new building project.
ReplyDeleteM. Nelson (TSU)
The LEED program is important to keeping our schools safe for our children and for our future. I agree with the last post in regards to finding a balance. However, there is financial support for both entities to be able to coexist strongly. Making our schools green and still providing the proper resources for our children to learn effectively as we push them up the ladder of success is very much possible. How we budget our money needs to be looked at and restructured so that our children’s/students’ success and their safety are the driving force behind all of or decisions. If that is our driving source we will be able to make our schools green and safer without sacrificing needed educational programs.
ReplyDeleteMarc - Manhattan College
Much goes into construction these days. Thoughts about all the details, from the framing and design to the finishing touches in a classroom, make for a lot of planning. A person driving past often wouldn't be able to tell all that has gone into a school's construction. Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteEMoore )TSU)
I think that as buildings are updated for maintenance purposes school districts need to look into using green materials that meet LEED requirements. It may be a slow process, but it would be more cost effective. For example paint, they could easily use low VOC paint as they repaint classrooms and offices.
ReplyDeleteThe LEED rating system seems to be ideal. I like the way that the ratings can be chosen and then the choices under each category will guide the planning process to reach that specific target. It is kinda of like Weight Watchers!
ReplyDeleteBarbara Irick: Love the Weight Watchers comparison! Yes it's similar.
ReplyDeleteMCryer: Yes you have the right idea.
There is an interesting statistic at www.nist.gov that shows in the first 2-5 years of a building's life (which INCLUDES design and construction costs)a typical building owner will spend 30-40% of the cost over a building's lifespan (figured as 50 years for a commercial building). The remaining 60-70% of the building's cost comes over the next 45-48 years. Which means that what you spend on the building's construction is not as important as building the building so your energy/water/maintenance costs are lower. Please re-read the previous sentence. This is what green building does. I hate seeing schools design and build buildings in 2011 that are obsolete during design and building because they're not integrating green! That is new construction but green can and should be accomplished on older schools too. It's not so hard. It leaves more money for programs like art because you're not paying as much for utilities, and you get more money from the state because kids aren't absent, they're at school (Increased Indoor Air Quality). In my day job I work for a construction company. We're building LEED/CHPS schools that don't cost more than a conventional school. Most in the industry would agree that green doesn't cost more. It can cost more if you're going for Platinum instead of Silver for instance.
This is very helpful. I have been trying to become more knowledge of this issue and what it takes to be LEED certified.
ReplyDelete