|
Related Story
Green from the Ground Up:
School Gardens
Click here |
|
Forging
a Sustainable Future for LAUSD:
New Programs, New Funding
by Samantha Koos
Expanding its role as a leader in the green
schools movement, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is not
only saving energy, it is creating energy. LAUSD just weeks
ago began construction to install one megawatt of renewable solar power at
the Pico Rivera General Stores and Food Warehouse, with expected
completion before the end of this year. This project is the first in the
District's program to install as much as 50 MW of renewable energy
technology, including solar power, at schools and other facilities.
"We are excited about launching our solar energy program," LAUSD Chief
Facilities Executive Guy Mehula said. "This is the first of many renewable
energy projects coming in the next year, as LAUSD has many buildings that
have the capability of drawing energy from the perennial Southern
California sun."
The solar project at the Pico Rivera warehouse is significant for many
reasons, one being the sheer size of this first-of-its-kind project for
the District. The project will incorporate 6,000 solar panels to generate
1 MW of power which will reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated
1,141 tons, equal to eliminating the consumption of 2,408 barrels of oil
or eliminating the annual emissions of 190 cars.
The project will deliver the District immediate savings and provide a
long-term hedge against rising peak power prices with no upfront system
cost. Through a power purchase agreement, the District will purchase the
electricity the solar installation generates from a third party financier.
As a further benefit, LAUSD will retain 100 percent ownership of the
Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) associated with the installation. RECs are
certificates that represent the "greenness" of renewable energy, and are a
legally recognized measure of an entity's commitment to green power.
As this first solar project gets off the ground, LAUSD is already
evaluating the possibility of moving its facilities toward "grid neutral,"
which the California Department of the State Architect (DSA) defines as a
facility that generates as much electricity on site as it uses annually.
In the meantime, LAUSD is preparing for the installation of another 660
kilowatts in three schools set to start in early December, and more
projects are in the queue, with a projected 5.7 Megawatts under contract
by the end of 2008.
The District played a key role in developing green school guidelines after
2001 through the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) school
building criteria (www.chps.net). These criteria, which have been refined
since they were first introduced in 2003, include recycled and
low-emitting materials, energy and water efficiencies and daylighting.
LAUSD's CHPS schools also now incorporate solar technology in their
designs.
LAUSD views its new sustainable, high performing schools as valuable
teaching tools, and is working to ensure that vegetated "green" roofs,
which reduce energy costs by insulating buildings, are incorporated into
school designs to be safely accessible or in easy view for instructional
purposes. Other plans in the works include educational kiosks that are
connected to the photovoltaic cells in solar panels to show in real time
the energy being produced, as well as utilizing students' own creativity
to help develop ways to communicate a building's green features
effectively.
Given its size, from the number of buildings it operates to the number of
students it educates, LAUSD is in a unique position to push the winds of
change toward sustainable living. Beyond buildings and renewable energy,
opportunities to promote sustainability at LAUSD range from how food is
dispensed at school cafeterias to how students are exposed to
environmental curriculum in the classroom. With execution of the first
solar power agreement, other possibilities for more environmentally
responsible operations at LAUSD are emerging. From solar heated pools to
fuel converted from food waste - if it is good for the students and the
budget of LAUSD and good for the environment - it is likely under
consideration.
To coordinate the wide range of sustainability initiatives in the
District, LAUSD has set up a Sustainability Steering Committee,
coordinated by LAUSD's Director of Sustainability Initiatives Randy Britt.
"We are very excited to be a part of a dynamic program that is in a
position to make a positive difference in the lives of our students, our
faculty, and our community," Britt said. "We want to lead by a positive
example to ensure a sustainable future for our students for generations to
come. Our vision is clearly to become the most environmentally friendly
large school district in the United States, in all that we do."
The passage of Measure Q will enable LAUSD to continue greening its
campuses for today's students and for future generations. The $7 billion
school repair bond upgrades schools to
accommodate modern
technology and addresses educational needs, creates capacity to attract,
retain and graduate more students through a comprehensive portfolio of
small high-quality Pre-K through adult schools, and promotes a healthier
environment through green technology.
Efforts to make LAUSD green began nearly a decade ago when LAUSD began its
$20.3 Billion New School Construction and Modernization Program. The
Program has delivered 76 new schools and more than 17,500 school
modernization projects to date.
In recognition of its leadership, LAUSD received Global Green's California
Environmental Leadership Award and is an inductee of Green California
Schools Hall of Fame.
For more information on LAUSD's $20.3 Billion New School Construction and
Modernization Program, please visit
www.laschools.org.
|
