According to an Associated Press article, the Arabia Mountain High School in suburban Atlanta, Ga. is being built with partly recycled materials. When it is finished, the school will have naturally lit classrooms and aggressive recycling program, not to mention solar panels, living roofs and wetlands — positive steps towards reduction in energy costs and certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Nearly 300 schools are on the waiting list to receive certification from the council. In fact, so many schools are working towards green that the USGBC introduced specific benchmarks for certification specifically in schools.

According to the article, "So far, 27 schools have received the "green" certification.

"The Council of Educational Facility Planners International estimates that schools will spend $53 billion this year on construction alone and that green building will comprise as much as 10 percent of the school construction market by 2010, a rapid growth from almost nonexistence a few years ago."

To read about what various schools are doing to reach green certification standards, click here.