In anticipation of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Colorado Chapter’s 2014 Green Schools Summit, USGBC Colorado hosted a press preview with industry leaders this week. Now in its eighth year, the Green Schools Summit will convene over 400 K–12 and Higher Education stakeholders, policy makers, students, parents and green building industry professionals at the University of Denver on Friday, Nov. 14, for a practical discussion on how to green Colorado’s schools within this generation.

The discussion was moderated by Sharon Alton, USGBC Colorado’s Executive Director, and included professionals working in green schools movement at both the Colorado state level and nationally, including Emily Riordan, Community Programs Manager, Center for Green Schools, U.S. Green Building Council; Christian Williss, Director of Programs and Initiatives, Colorado Energy Office; Richard D. Cosgrove, P.E., Director of Planning and Construction, Facilities Management, Douglas County School District; David R Stewart, PhD, PE, President and CEO, Stewart Environmental Consultants, LLC; Sue Reilly, President & Senior Engineer, Group 14 Engineering; Adele Willson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Principal, CMO, SLATERPAULL; Aaron Smith, Director of Sustainable Building Solutions, ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions; Robert Childers, AIA, Director of Virtual Design & Construction, Haselden Construction, NCARB, LEED GA; Stephanie Doyle, Associate Product Portfolio Manager, Xcel Energy; Melanie Gavin, School District Account Manager, Xcel Energy; and Scott Newell, Director of Division of Capital Construction, Colorado Dept. of Education. The audio from the preview can be downloaded here.

SUPPORT FOR GREEN SCHOOLS IMPLEMENTATION
Several participants said they have witnessed what Emily Riordan, Community Programs Manager, Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council in Washington, D.C. called “a groundswell of support” for the green schools movement. “We’ve seen a real value put on a green learning place,” she said. “Where we learn matters.”

Aaron Smith, Director of Sustainable Building Solutions at ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions said that educators surpass their commercial real estate counterparts in implementing sustainable and high-performing practices into their development plans. “K—12 is the greatest sector for green building that we see,” Smith said. “I think the commercial real estate sector can actually learn a lot from green school initiatives.”

Sue Reilly, President & Senior Engineer of Group 14 Engineering, agreed, noting that Colorado schools were especially motivated to be built green owing to state financing incentives and requirements.

TOOLS TO BUILD GREEN SCHOOLS
Participants discussed the many green construction and design features they are using to build green schools. Richard D. Cosgrove, Director of Planning and Construction and Facilities Management for the Douglas County School District, described how his rapidly growing district has saved costs by developing a model for green schools that they adapt for new sites as the district expands. Some of the features of this model green school include a building orientation to maximize sunlight, glazes that soak up heat from sun, low-flow toilet fixtures and evaporative cooling.

Robert Childers, Director of Virtual Design & Construction for Haselden Construction noted that more and more of his clients are taking advantage of Building Information Modeling, or BIN. These digital representations of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility allow building managers to have extensive information about their buildings available to them. Childers gave an example where a manager could use a BIN system to learn something as specific as a light bulb had burned out. Childers said a BIN system could provide the manager with information about the light bulb’s model, its location and how to get a replacement.

GREEN SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Several participants on the call noted that once green schools are built, efforts must be made to ensure that administrators, teachers and students are learning from their schools. Stephanie Doyle, an Associate Product Portfolio Manager at Xcel Energy, described Xcel’s school kits program, which provides fifth and sixth grade teachers on Xcel’s Colorado grid with classroom instruction, posters and activities about energy conservation practices. Their online energy classrooms and free online assessments teach students firsthand about how to manage their energy use.

David R. Stewart, President and CEO of Stewart Environmental Consultants, LLC described how Poudre School District and Colorado State University are collaborating in to integrate green building concepts into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in northern Colorado. In one program, students saw their impact on greenhouse gas levels. “We’re exposing all the infrastructure,” he said. “Students can now understand how air and water movement happens.”

Adele Willson, Principal and CMO of SLATERPAULL Architects, noted that responsibility for green implementation shouldn’t fall solely on the shoulders of administrators: teachers and students are happy to integrate green building practices into their routines and curriculum. “Kids really do embrace these kinds of things,” she said.

PUBLIC SECTOR SUPPORT
Christian Williss, Director of Programs and Initiatives at the Colorado Energy Office noted that his agency provides free energy audits and educates the public in energy literacy—his office plans to roll out a streamlined program schools interested in building or renovating for sustainability soon, the state energy office acts primarily as a “connector” to resources and services.

One such resource partner is Scott Newell from the Colorado Department of Education and an administrator of the state’s Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant program. Colorado state law specifies that any school renovation or construction project that requires more than 20 percent funding must target a USGBC LEED certification. As a representative of the state’s Department of Education, Newell said he aims to be a viable resource to school districts.

COLORADO’S GREEN SCHOOLS FUTURE
Riordan said that other states look to Colorado as a leader in the green schools movement, noting that “There’s a really robust network of advocates and champions and professionals on the ground there.”

“The difference in Colorado is momentum,” said Smith. “Colorado is one of the leading places in the country right now.”

Join the conversation with #cogreenschools.

Teachers can attend the Green Schools Summit for a discounted rate of $25. USGBC Colorado member rate is $150. Registration can be accessed at http://usgbccolorado.org/content.php?page=Green_Schools_Summit. For more information about sponsorship opportunities please contact Patti Mason at patti@usgbccolorado.org or 303-292-6181.