I’ve reviewed three of the more-well-known green building rating systems in previous weeks. Since the strategies for building green are fairly similar, a lot of the information used in determining the green building ratings are somewhat similar. The delivery systems of these rating systems differ.
The best way to see which system is going to work best for your organization and your school is to do more research applicable to your specific goals. There are resources available to help you determine which is best. You can hire a green building consultant to lead your school district or school through a needs assessment, and after obtaining information on the systems, you can make a decision. Do the research; the data is out there to show that green building does not necessarily cost more. When you think about green from the standpoint of how much money is spent over the lifetime of a building, you need to build green from a standpoint of spending your money wisely. If you know that you can build a building that will alleviate utility costs, provide a healthier environment, and reduce absenteeism, why wouldn’t you build that way? Use ACEF as one of your resources. Start with a district-wide Indoor Environmental Quality program.
A few takeaway facts:
CHPS: 86 completed CHPS schools and approximately 300 underway seeking CHPS recognition.
Green Globes: Over 150 commercial facilities in the U.S. have been certified using Green Globes.
LEED: There are 8,508 LEED Certified projects and 23,775 LEED Registered projects.
You can build green for both new and for existing buildings. Industry projections point to an avalanche of existing building green building certifications in the coming years, since there are so many more existing schools than new. Existing schools have many more challenges to overcome in maintenance and Indoor Environmental Quality, among other issues. Thirty to forty percent of a typical building’s life cycle costs occur during the design and construction phase, with the remaining sixty to seventy percent cost occurring during the rest of the building’s life. Since the design and construction phase of a building’s life cycle is typically 2-5 years, with the rest of the life cycle at 45-50 years, it only makes sense to maximize the return on the more expensive phase of a building’s life cycle (that’s in constant dollars).
www.chps.org
www.gbci.org
www.greenglobes.com
www.nist.gov
In a poor school district like ours, we don't have the money to spend on consultants. I guess we have to continue with things the way they are.
ReplyDeleteCGibbs(TSU)
As an educator I think the use of lights is the last thing. This article has made me realize how everyone can do a small part to lead in the right direction. (F. Granados - Tarleton)
ReplyDeleteI feel as though "going green" is very beneficial to a school building; however that comes with some obstacles. Working in a very low economic community/school we do not have the funds to hire a consultant or the funds to send current employees to be educated on how to take the necessary steps to "go green." However, my school is working on fundraising and maybe I can present this idea to them as something to fundraise for.
ReplyDeleteA district that plans on refurbishing or building a new construction should do the research when considering whether to "go green" or not. If the district does not have the available money initially to build an eco-friendly construction that will withstand the test of time, they should at least be knowledgeable with some of the aspects about a green school that will save them money in the long run. It is worth the time and the energy to do the research in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteB. Irick (TSU)
I would think "going green" would be the goal of every school. Obstacles like finances seem to always get in the way. Proponents of "going green" point out the long term positive effects and ultimately large savings. However, getting to that "green" place is a long road.
ReplyDeleteI have done some homework on federal funding for going green. It seems that our government has an interest in going green (or at least they say they do !). For those with finances as a major obstacle, look into federal funding. Every bit of money you could get is a help ! Start small and grow big !
Joseph Muscente
Manhattan College
Riverdale, NY
JMuscente.student@manhattan.edu
With all the current budget cuts, I do think it is difficult for some school districts to fund a consultant. However, it is one of those issues where you have to decide to spend more money now or later. As the post pointed out, building green now actually saves more money in the long run because it reduces costs, reduces health issues and is more environmental friendly. S.Ellason (TSU)
ReplyDeleteI think starting off small in every school could be the first step. I'm interested to learn more about the funding that could be provided for a project such as this, but am aware that not every school is ready to begin such a change. My school has tried to recycle over the last three years. We have two wastebaskets in each classroom. One for paper only and another for different kind of trash. The students are becoming more aware of the reasons why we should recycle, but they need to be educated more about the environment and why going green could be so beneficial for us in the future. Going green doesn't seem to be a priority of my district. However, I'm enjoying learning more about the types of projects that are happening in areas other than mine.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Mattia
Manhattan College
emattia.student@manhattan.edu
It is interesting to learn that sixty to seventy percent of a building's cost is incurred in the last forty-five to fifty years of its existence. I guess this is referring to the daily expense of heating and cooling, among other things. This is going to be true regardless of the type of structure built; however, less expensive maintenance costs could potentially offset the more expensive upfront costs of building structures that save energy. The real question is whether the green building will save money in the long run.
ReplyDeleteOuch sorry for the insensitive comment about hiring a consultant. I know things are REALLY tight for school districts right now. I'll post information on a blog as to how to get free resources for your school. As a volunteer I can help your school district. I volunteer my time with the US Green Building Council www.usgbc.org, whose goal is to have every child in a green school within a generation. Which is a great goal, similar to putting a man on the moon, only better. The national chapter has the Center for Green Schools (future blog give me a week or two) and other resources. Check in with your local USGBC Chapter. Here in Texas we have 3 chapters - North Texas is www.northtexasgreencouncil.org, there's a Houston-based chapter, and an Austin-San Antonio Chapter, Balcones USGBC. More to come and help is on the way.
ReplyDelete