Note: Sessions subject to change

Workshop descriptions

Thursday session descriptions

Friday  session descriptions

Pre-Summit Sessions

Understanding the New CalGreen Codes
9:00 am - noon
(This session offers 6 AIA continuing education credits.)

As of January 1, 2011, the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) will become mandatory for new residential, commercial, school and hospital building construction. This session will offer attendees a firm grasp of the chapters of the new code, covering each section in detail with a focus on application and compliance.

Presenter: Charles "Russ" Russell, Vice President, VCA Code Group

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Building Sustainable Schools: Grid Neutral & the Green Code
Under the leadership of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the State of California has undertaken countless efforts to set the standard for sustainable living. A critical component of California's green efforts has been green buildings. Taking the Governor's lead, California's State Architect has focused on incorporating green concepts into the design, construction, maintenance, and operations of California's K-12 schools and community colleges. From the State Architect's efforts came the concept of grid neutral - a site that produces as much electricity as it uses in a year - a measurable goal that community colleges are working to achieve. The presentation will start by quickly highlighting the Executive Order, legislation, and initiatives introduced during the Schwarzenegger administration. This will lead to a talk on how the grid neutral concept was developed and the six components, and four key steps, to achieve grid neutral. Included among the components and steps will be case studies and success stories. Finally, the session will discuss the development of the Green Building Code, which codified the definition of grid neutral and introduced both mandatory and voluntary measures for community college construction.

Presenter: Theresa Townsend, Supervising Architect, Division of the State Architect

Funding Your Schools - Prop 1D Options and Others
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Presented by the California Coalition for Adequate School Housing (C.A.S.H.), the Collaborative for High Performing Schools (CHPS), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

This workshop will cover the many funding options for Green Schools including High Performance Incentives (HPI), Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs), California Solar Initiative, Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs), Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), Local Bonds, Certificates of Participation (COPs), Savings by Design, and a view from the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) and the State Treasurers’ Office (STO). It will also cover case studies from practitioners and experts around successful solar projects and PPAs.

The workshop will conclude with a session on the future of state funding and how these organizations will work with the new Administration and State partners to ensure green school funding in the future.

Speakers:
Tom Duffy, C.A.S.H.
Bill Orr, CHPS
Steve Newsom, LPA, Inc.
Jim Maclay, LPA, Inc.
Stacey White, Mode Associates
Craig Misso, Ontario Montclair School District
Brian LaPask, OPSC
Phil Henderson, Orbach, Huff & Suarez LLP
Jeff Baratta, Piper Jaffray & Co.
Joe Dixon, Santa Ana Unified School District
John Decker, State Treasurers’ Office
Emily Knupp, USGBC
Pauline Souza, WRNS Studio

Green Pathways to the Future
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
The future that your students will be living and working in will present challenges and opportunities that few of us could have envisioned 10 years ago. What do you need to know to make sure they are prepared?

By the year 2020, the world's green economy will be worth roughly $3 trillion according to the United Nations Environment Programm. But what, exactly, IS the green economy?

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes $50 billion for green jobs. What makes a job "green," and how can you make sure your students have the knowledge and skills needed to get one?

In this workshop you'll find answers to these questions, and more, along with curriculum resources that make it easy to translate those answers into standards-based instruction. You'll also hear about the green economy straight from the source - the businesses and industries that are building it.

Presenters: Dave Hendry, Real Curriculum
Sara Laimon, Founder and Director, Green Ambassadors
Alison Diaz, Founder and CEO, Environmental Charter Schools

LEED as a Framework for Comprehensive District Greening
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Green schools create healthy environments conducive to learning while saving energy, resources, and money. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) developed the Green Existing Schools Toolkit to help schools and school districts green their existing facilities and achieve LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Included in the toolkit are a Green Existing Schools Project Management Guide and a Green Existing Schools Implementation Workbook. These resources provide guidance, best practices and policy and planning templates to assist school officials in seeking LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M) certification and managing a campus- or district-wide improvement plan.

This hands-on training session is designed to help school districts jump-start the process of greening O&M practices and policies. At the day-long training, instructors will discuss the “why” and “how” of greening a school district, through new construction and retrofitting existing schools. Attendees will gain an understanding of the differences between the LEED for Schools and LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M rating systems, utilize the Green Existing Schools Project Management Guide as a planning tool, and learn how to undertake a collaborative effort to implement and document incremental improvements. The training will focus on utilizing LEED as a tool for district-wide sustainability initiatives and will address specific steps and strategies for implementation.

Making the commitment to green existing schools across a campus or district requires a comprehensive plan that integrates two processes: one focused on how each school facility will improve building performance, and another on adopting sustainable operations and maintenance policies and best practices. The LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M rating system provides a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green solutions.

Presenters:
Emily Knupp, K12 Associate, Center for Green Schools, U.S. Green Building Council
Donnie Kenneth, Center for Green Schools, U.S. Green Building Council

Concurrent Sessions, Thursday Dec 9

» Green Building Track

10:45 am -  noon
Green is Journey: How to Green Your Existing Facilities (LEED EBOM)
In order to achieve the goal of green schools within a generation – we must not only build new schools but transform our existing ones - our new green schools must be operated and maintained in a way that will ensure that the features that made them green will be sustained over a long time. We must not only build new schools that are green, we have to transform our existing schools.

Our new green schools must also be operated and maintained in a way that will ensure that the features that made them green will be sustained over the long term. The Green Ex² Toolkit will help make this vision a reality by assisting schools in greening their Operations and Maintenance (O&M) practices and achieving LEED for Existing Buildings: O& M certification. The term “green O&M” is about operating and maintaining the facility in a manner that enhances the health of occupants and the performance of the building while saving money on day-to-day operational costs.
.
With over 130,000 Schools in the country, we have the ability to make a difference for our most precious resource – our kids.

Presenters:
Pauline Souza, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, moderator
Donnie Kenneth, USGBC Schools Sector Manager LEED AP

1:15 pm - 2:30 pm
LEED Platinum: How Your Public School Can Achieve It
This expert panel will provide valuable information and explore a variety of tools required to produce LEED Platinum educational facilities. Setting the example for school districts nationwide, the session will focus on team collaboration: from district facilities planners to Board of Trustees, from architects to construction manager –the involvement and partnership of all entities is essential to the success of a LEED Platinum school.

Panelists:
Arlie Ricasa, Board President, Sweetwater Union High School District
Karl Bradley, Superintendent Facilities and Operations, Sweetwater Union High School District
Jamie Ortiz, Vice President, SGI Construction
Janika McFeely, LEED Expert, EHDD Architects

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
CHPS and CalGreen
CALGREEN, the nation's first mandatory green building code, goes into effect in January 2011. The Department of General Services’ Division of the State Architect will discuss the development of the Green Building Code, which codified the definition of grid neutral and introduced both mandatory and voluntary measures for schools.

The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) will discuss the newly released 2009 Edition of the California CHPS Criteria (CA-CHPS), the various resources and programs CHPS offers, the CHPS implementation roadmap, and other new resources available through the CHPS program.

Find out how DSA school plan reviews will be need to meet CAL Green mandatory measures, the State’s High Performance Incentive (HPI) Grant can provide an innovative funding source for your sustainable school projects, and how CHPS criteria can help implement high performance elements into your design.

Speaker:
Theresa Townsend, Supervising Architect, Division of the State Architect

» Energy Track

10:45 am -  noon
Grid Neutral - How to Get Paid for the Power of the Sun and Not Get Burned
Tempted to install solar panels on your school to save money and teachers? This session will examine how to evaluate whether your school is ready to go Grid Neutral or Net Zero Energy and if so the technical and financial strategies to ensure it pencils out. Solar projects can provide financial and non-financial benefits, the most obvious potential financial benefit being a savings in utility costs. Solar projects also reduce the use of polluting non-renewable energy sources, which provides environmental benefits, and provide an educational opportunity for students to learn about energy use, energy resources and building performance.

Once you know you are solar-ready, it is extremely important that school districts undertake the appropriate due diligence before committing to a project:
1. Implementing the right process to become an informed consumer.
2. Understanding the public procurement requirements.
3. Understanding the financing and funding options.

Speakers:
Ariel Dekovic, Senior Program and Communications Manager, CHPS
Ben Foster, Vice President Operations. Optony
Keith Weaver, Senior Project Manager, Government Financial Strategies Inc.

1:15 pm - 2:30 pm
The Grid Neutral School
Following the Governor's lead, California's State Architect has focused on incorporating green concepts into the design, construction, maintenance, and operations of California's K-12 schools and community colleges. From the State Architect's efforts came the concept of grid neutral - a site that produces as much electricity as it uses in a year - a measurable goal that community colleges are working to achieve.

This presentation will quickly highlight some of the green policies introduced during the Schwarzenegger administration that led to the development of the grid neutral concept, and then explore strategies for achieving grid neutral.

Presenter:
Theresa Townsend, Supervising Architect, Division of the State Architect

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Tomorrow's Energy Leaders:
The Role of Education in Solving the Climate Crisis
With Schools districts in California facing sharp budget cuts, families across the country shouldering ever increasing energy costs and the risks of climate change continuing unabated, the need for increased energy efficiency at school and at home could not be greater. The Green Schools Program is leading the way by working with students, teachers, custodians and district administrators to save energy and money, while turning schools into learning laboratories and forging pathways to green careers.

Climate science can be confusing, complicated, depressing and dry. ACE :: Alliance for Climate Education throws that reputation out the window with a free multimedia assembly for high schools that presents climate science and upbeat solutions that stick with students. Learn how the ACE assembly can turbocharge climate science education at your school, and how our follow-up
programs can jumpstart green projects at school.

Presenter:
Katie Landeros, Program Associate, Alliance to Save Energy's California Green Schools Program
Ethan Burke, Lead Educator, Southern California, Alliance for Climate Education

» Curriculum Track

10:45 am - noon
Student Actions to Reduce Your School's Environmental Footpint:
Eco-audits and hands-on, inquiry-based project
Learn how to engage students in doing hands-on environmental audits of your school's waste, energy, water, and carbon footprints. The audits serve as the basis for students designing action projects to reduce the school's footprint and engage the whole school community in service learning projects. A variety of approaches, tools, and resources will be shared.

Speaker:
Deborah Moore, Executive Director, Green Schools Initiative

1:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Green Curriculum: From Boardroom to Classroom
The panel draws from a variety of professions: teaching, school administration,  school district management, and sustainability consulting. Each panelist will briefly describe their individual perspective and experiences involving sustainability projects with schools and curriculum. Each statement will include the panelist's opinion of the idea of green curriculum and how to overcome any obstacles that they have experienced. The moderator, Duke Graham, will then lead the panel through several questions, allowing any or all panelists to respond, as appropriate. The questions will be drawn from the following list, and may include additions that follow discussions pursuant to other questions. The idea is to create a productive, inter-disciplinary conversation about advancing sustainability programs in schools.

Potential questions:
1. Is teaching "Green Curriculum" mandatory?
2. What core subjects lend themselves to sustainability?
3. What core subjects don't lend themselves to sustainability?
4. How have parents reacted to the introduction of green curriculum?
5. How have teachers/unions reacted?
6. How will a green curriculum help a student get into college?
7. How can a green curriculum help a campus incorporate sustainability into the campus facilities?
8. Have any schools saved money because of green curricula or projects?
9. How can you use your school as a teaching tool?
10. Is sustainability a viable career path?

The last segment of the presentation will be a question and answer session, opened up to the audience. The moderator will conduct this session by calling on audience members and facilitating any ensuing conversations.

Moderator:
Duke Graham, Senior Project Manager, GAIA

Panelists:
Jim Bologna, Windward School
John Zinner, Zinner Consultants
Jay Benoit, Marshall High School (LAUSD)
J. Gonzalez, LAUSD - Office of Curriculum, Instruction, School Support (OCISS)

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
School Gardens
Learn about landscape design choices that all schools can use to make their schoolyards more comfortable, enjoyable and beautiful, and a participatory design process that schools can use to engage their communities in transforming their own asphalt into ecosystems.

Mud Baron, Green Policy Director, Office of LAUSD School Board Member Marguerite P. LaMotte

» Potpourri Track

10:45 am - noon
Maximizing Use of State and Local Funds to Build Green Schools
San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) is proud to present its green scorecard. It is in line to receive the second highest level of funding from the State of California High Performance Incentive.

San Bernardino School District (SBCUSD) is in line to receive the second highest level of funding from the State of California High Performance Incentive. One of SBCUSD schools’ High Performance Achievement is in the top two among all California schools. As a financial hardship school district (i.e. the district has to rely 100% on State funding for its capital improvement program) and located away the larger metropolitan areas in Southern California, plus suffering from the current financial meltdown significantly, it has not been an easy task to achieve this success. It has come to realization through having a vision for better learning environments, creative and comprehensive planning, professional consultant support, and facilities management determination to build green schools pursuing various funding sources and maximizing the available funds.

The full session presentation will focus on the following with other related topics being incorporated:

Importance of having a vision by the school district facilities management for better schools and environmentally friendly schools

The determination and communications skills to bring other, and higher-level decision makers into having the same vision and committing to the concept

Understanding the importance of sustainability and benefits of green architectural design and construction; incorporating sustainable design features into District’s design and specifications standards

Familiarity with and aggressive pursuit of various local and State funding sources

Utilization of outside professional consultants with the most up-to-date technical and funding knowledge

Careful and advance planning, allowing the maximum outcome in a short period of time

Pro-active and assertive approach to obtain 100% construction projects funding through the State’s office of Public School Construction’s Financial Hardship Program

Inclusion of both new schools and modernization projects in the green schools plan

Taking immediate advantage when new funding incentives become advantage (e.g. when Prop. 1D became effective in 2007, they acted immediately to benefit from the incentives. Up to this year, SBCUSD has submitted applications to the State for funding14 schools through the High Performance School Incentive (HPI), and will receive approximately $ 2.7 million from the program

Use of alternative design and building types to obtain various local and State regulatory agencies approval in the shortest time possible in order to meet the funding application deadlines.

Setting a bench mark for other school districts for the level of efforts required to achieve sustainable design and providing feedback to DSA for future implementation of the proposed green architecture code.

In summary, the proposed presentation will demonstrate how SBCUSD has achieve its green building goals by having a sense of mission, a management team with a shared vision and good know-how, and collaboration with technical consultants and in the process receiving Grade A on High Performance Report Card.

Facilitator - Ying Wang, RA, LEED AP, HPS Funding Coordinator, SBCUSD
Speakers:
Wael Elatar, Administrator, Facilities Management, SBCUSD
Ali A. Kiafar, PhD, REFP, Program Executive, SBCUSD
Samer Alzubaidi, Facilities Management and Development Director, SBCUSD
Jorge Mendez, AIA Associate, Assistant Director, Facilities Management, SBCUSD

1:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Is Blue the New Green?
Saving Water in California One School at a Time
22% of the nation’s water is used in California. This workshop will focus the latest stormwater regulations and their impact on new projects and campus modernizations with the perspective of a school district and District and Consultant responsibilities, and the integration with green schools. As the effects of the new regulations are realized, both school districts and design consultants will play an expanded role and will take on more responsibility in terms of monitoring, plan development, fees, and potential penalties.

Learn what the new storm water regulations require, how and where the strategies are being implemented, and why these regulations are important to schools and students.

Presenters:
Wendy Rogers, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, moderator
Kathreen Shinkai, P.E., M.ASCE
Arash Izadi, ASLA, LEED AP

Concurrent Sessions, Friday Dec 10

» Green Building Track

10:45 am - noon
Go Home with a Green Building:
The New World of Pre-Certified High Performance Classrooms
A new category of high performance building is becoming more popular across the California school market: the high performance modular/relocatable building. Now manufacturers can pursue the CHPS Verified label for their classrooms to demonstrate compliance with a rigorous high performance building standard. Participants will learn about what the high performance product label means for pre-fabricated classrooms, and learn how the program provides a streamlined process for recognizing relocatable/modular/pre-certified building models once, so that customers know they are purchasing a high performance building. This workshop will cover case studies of manufacturers who are pursuing this designation and best practices for the school site once a high performance building has been purchased.

Speakers:
Ariel Dekovic, Senior Programs and Communications Manager, Collaborative for High Performance Schools
Sarah Backhouse, Future Proofing Schools, The University of Melbourne
Clare Newton, Future Proofing Schools, The University of Melbourne

1:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Energy Saving Building Strategies
According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Heat Island Group, a switch to a white roof can reduce energy use by about 20 percent in hot, sunny weather. In urban areas, white roofs can also help lower smog levels by helping to lower local temperatures. EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) roofing membrane is a flexible rubber material; white EPDM roofing membrane is one of the fasting growing segments in the U.S. single ply roofing market. Its durability and long-term effectiveness is based on 40 years of experience with this technology. These reflective membranes, particularly thicker gauges, make excellent platforms for photovoltaic systems due to their long life expectancy. A case study is presented which features three recently reroofed San Mateo, CA high schools. As the project included some 6,000 stanchions for mounting the PV cells, particular attention was paid to the penetration details.

Presenter:
Bill Tippins, Firestone Building Products


» Finance Track

10:45 am - noon
How to Get Some Mod Money (and End Up with a High Performance School)
Are you sitting on the fence trying to decide whether you should pursue the Proposition 1D high performance incentive (HPI) funding and the CHPS Verified third party review for your next school Modernization project? For a variety of reasons, school districts are increasingly looking toward modernizing rather than building new schools. Most districts have had to reconcile serious budget limitations and shrinking student populations with existing facilities in need of repair. While California state school bond funds (Prop 1D) for new construction have been largely exhausted, about $1.1 billion in modernization funding and $75 million in high performance incentive funding remains. Learn about the latest on the proposed changes in the HPI regulations and funding and how the 2009 Collaborative for High Performance Schools Criteria (CA-CHPS Criteria) specifically addresses major and minor modernizations, new buildings on existing campuses, and additions. Discover how to tap into the revised "BIG" or Base Incentive Grants and how CHPS and the state are working together to make the review process better and more affordable for schools.

Speakers:
Rob Samish, Lionakis
Christine Becker, Director of Facilities Modernization, Santee School District

1:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Saving Money through Energy Efficiencies
This session will provide valuable information on how school districts can utilize dollars currently budgeted to pay for utilities and convert those dollars to discretionary general fund dollars. Mt. Diablo Unified School District will share their journey to initiate, what will be, one of the largest solar photovoltaic systems in a K-12 District on the planet. Our system is going to return $300 million to our unrestricted general fund to support students in our district.

Speaker:
Gary Eberhart, Board Member, Mt. Diablo Unified School District


» Potpourri Track

10:45 am -  noon
Schools Recycling Challenge
Every wonder if your recycling efforts at your school are truly worth the time, labor and expense?  What about those biodegradable tableware products?  Do they go in the trash or recycling bin? Are your students truly getting the message and making the connection between what they throw away and how it affects our air, our water and our soils?  To make matters even more complicated and challenging, how do you start a composting program at your school that nobody wants to maintain because of the ‘ick’ factor and how do you get the ‘buy-in’ from all the different stakeholders to make your recycling program work and sustainable over the years. 

Part one of this session will present a tried and true method for implementing an alternative waste management program that focuses on the organics waste stream and, less on recycling, to achieve a high rate of waste diversion of upwards to 77%.   Long time environmental professional and Founder of Waste Less Living, a local zero-waste consulting and organics waste management service provider, will share how school’s can bypass some of the social and operational challenges in starting and maintaining a waste reduction program to achieve a much higher standard of environmental stewardship.  It can be done because it has already been done in Pasadena!  Come to this session and find out how!

Speaker:
Christine Lenches-Hinkel, Founder/President, Waste Less Living Inc.

With over 9,950 public schools organized in over 1,000 districts to serve more than 6.3 million students across California, K-12 schools consume large amounts of resources and generate much solid waste. Add on another 600,000 students in private schools and all the teachers, staff and administration employed by all schools and it is safe to say that one out of six Californians is “At School” each day.  Schools can help communities reduce their waste while saving money and teaching kids valuable lessons. Many school districts have been successful in improving their economic and environmental performance through the implementation of waste reduction initiatives. The Pilot California K-12 Recycling Challenge, funded through a grant from Keep America Beautiful is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for school recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to students, families, faculty and staff.

The waste haulers and recycling professionals have partnered to help with implementation of the pilot program because it helps with meeting AB 939 and AB 32 requirements; provides a positive public perception and support; and increases participation in residential recycling programs. Over 85 individual schools and 4 entire districts, throughout California, participated during the month of November in the inaugural Recycling Challenge. The winners will be announced and cash prizes will be awarded in December 2010.

Speakers:
Christine Flowers, Executive Director, Keep California Beautiful
Ray Scott, Administrative Services Manager, Price Disposal

1:15 pm - noon
Solar Sound Bites: Ensuring the Media Understands Your "Green" Programs
As our state aggressively pursues alternative energy production, the media is vigilantly following the stories of organizations going green. From solar and wind energy to the successful implementation of fuel cell energy, these projects interest the consumer and business media.  This workshop is designed to provide suggestions and tips for working with the media to ensure that your organization's energy conservation efforts are understood and covered accurately. Kathleen J. McKee, partner at Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP and a member of the Green Technology Advisory Board, has helped numerous K-12 districts implement their solar programs, and Terilyn Finders, a former school board member with over 30 years of communications experience, has extensive media relations experience.  Both will outline best practices for building a communications plan that will help create positive coverage of your district's energy conservation programs.

Presenters:
Kathleen McKee, Partner, Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Terilyn Finders, Director of Communications, Fagen, Friedman & Fulfrost LLP

» Curriculum Track

10:45 am - noon
Using Your Building as a Teaching Tool for Sustainability
In this presentation, we will do hands-on activities from the California Academy of Sciences' Teacher Institute on Science and Sustainability that demonstrate how green building features offer an opportunity for student learning. We will present lessons to highlight existing green building features as well as lessons to promote building use behavior change. We will also explore how community professionals including architects and engineers can be used to enhance teacher and student understanding of green buildings. Whether your school is LEED certified or not, this will be an engaging workshop for all participants.

Presenters:
Sarah Delaney, Curriculum Developer & Educator, Teacher Institute on Science Sustainability, California Academy of the Sciences
Emily Harris Curriculum Developer & Educator, Teacher Institute on Science Sustainability, California Academy of the Sciences

1:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Green Hands On Learning - Case Studies

This session will feature three separate curriculum models with hands on learning from pre-schoolers to high school students.

One World Montessori, with the support of a grant funded by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation through the San Jose Go Green Schools Initiative, created a waste-reduction curriculum suitable for preschool-aged children. They will share the curriculum developed for involving students in recycling, composting, and waste management efforts, and the hands-on activities used to give them a solid background in environmental education.

New Ideas, Lessons, and Ways to Connect Students to Real World Issues Through simulation activities and hands-on learning, connect complex global issues and start re-visioning a more sustainable future. Come experience Facing the Future curriculum resources and gain new lesson plan ideas. Materials are appropriate for all grade levels and subject areas. The workshop will provide free teaching resources for all attendees.

Discover ways to incorporate environmental education into a Geo Science curriculum as well as the culture of a high school campus. Hear about the "Sustainability Summit", starting recycling programs on campus, and the ease of incorporating environmentally-friendly lessons into daily classroom curriculum.

Presenters:
Lisa Maxham, Nonprofit and Green School Coordinator, One World Montessori School
Naomi Harper, Teacher, Will Rogers Middle School, San Juan Unified School District
Ashley Scott Cooper, Biology Teacher, Thousand Oaks High School, Conejo Unified School District