Green Technology News

Green Technology Home



Special Supplement: Green Schools

Five and a half years ago, Napa Valley Unified School District envisioned a new green high school to meet the needs of its growing population. A team of architects and engineers working with the Collaborative for High Performance Schools and its new CHPS Verified program is making that dream a reality. Read the story

Only 10 percent of the $100 million allocated for green school construction under the school construction state bond 1-D has been allocated so far. Rob Cook, executive officer of the California Office of Public School Construction, discusses green school funding, the future impact of California’s new Green Building Code and the importance of attending the Green California Schools Summit. Read the story

Combining rebates and a power purchase agreement, the Lagunitas School District found a way to realize its solar power goals. Read the story

A place at the table for both industry and the environment are reflected in California's new green building codes, unanimously adopted by the California Building Standards Commission on July 17. The Golden State is the first in the nation to adopt statewide guidelines for green building. Read the Story

Only 10 percent of the $100 million allocated for green school construction under the school construction state bond 1-D has been allocated so far. Rob Cook, executive officer of the California Office of Public School Construction, discusses green school funding, the future impact of California’s new Green Building Code and the importance of attending the Green California Schools Summit. Read the story

		Roadmap to Zero Net for California Schools At the 2007 Green California Schools Summit, California State Architect David Thorman startled a packed auditorium when he announced a plan calling for all new schools in California to be "Zero Net," or "Grid Neutral," by 2010. Designing schools that are self-sufficient energy producers in such a short time frame seemed an almost unimaginable leap at the time, but Thorman and Theresa Townsend, Senior Architect for the California Department of General Services, say that achieving the goal is not only possible, it's probable. In an interview with Green Technology magazine, they explain how it will happen. Read the story

		Green Schools Groundswell LEED for Schools was one year old in April, and according to U.S. Green Building Council Schools Sector Manager Rachel Gutter, nearly two new schools are now registering for LEED certification every day. This groundswell is a combination of enormous stakeholder advocacy for the program, a growing concern about rising energy bills at the school district level, and development of the tools and information that allow for economical and standardized green school construction. Read the story

		Envisioning a Green Future: Thousands Attend Schools Summit The largest green schools conference ever, the Green California Schools Summit & Exposition brought together thousands of attendees from all sectors of the education community, capturing the essence and spirit of California's rapidly growing green schools movement. Read the story.

		Energy Efficiency in Public Schools: San Diego Walks the Talk In 1997, the board of the San Diego Unified School District made a commitment to cutting energy use, a decision that is still bringing rewards a decade later. Read the story

		Reinventing Air Conditioning Engineers at DMJM Harris are working with the San Diego Unified School District on a daunting challenge: cooling classrooms that have not previously been air conditioned without raising utility bills. Read the story

		Leveling the Playing Field for Prop 1D In November 2006, voters authorized $10.4 billion for school facility construction and modernization through Proposition 1D – the Kindergarten-University Facilities Bond Act of 2006. Grants through this program are on hold, as the Office of Public School Construction works to establish criteria for fair and effective use of these funds. Read the story

		High Performance Schools: The New Jewels of Los Angeles The second largest school district in the United States, the Los Angeles Unified School District has been called a behemoth, top heavy and inefficient, controversial and downright impossible to manage. None of this has prevented the district from launching a green schools initiative of unprecedented scale. Read the story

		Under Construction A look at two of the high performance schools included in LAUSD's $20 billion school construction and renovation program. View a slideshow

		Green Perspectives: A Greener and Healthier Future for California Schools Born out of California's energy crisis, the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) has expanded beyond energy efficiency to address an array of issues that make up healthy and environmentally conscious school environments. Read the story

		Green Star in the Inner City The phrase "inner city school" doesn't usually conjure up images of green space, open windows and high attendance rates. But in September 2006, students at Maywood Academy High School in downtown Los Angeles walked into a new kind of school. Read the story

		Growing Green Schools At a time when schools throughout the country have been re-engineering their curriculum to meet the demands of "no child left behind," a quiet revolution in school design has been unfolding in the State of California. A new school bond has set the stage for a new generation of green schools Read the story

Green Technology Publisher Keith Miller Editor in Chief Carl Smith Managing Editor Racquel Palmese Associate Editor Bob Graves Contributors Barbara Crane Lisa Lilienthal
		Green Technology is an initiative of the non-profit Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education (FASE). Established in 1981 as a coalition of educators, researchers, physicians, scientists, environmentalists and other professionals, FASE produces a broad range of public interest communications and research. The foundation's environmental health programs have encompassed research, reporting, conferences and policy. FASE has also produced more than 70 educational programs for public broadcasting, many of them addressing environmental issues. These productions have received more than 150 awards, including three Peabody Awards and the Environmental Media Award. Drawing upon this rich and unique organizational experience, Green Technology provides a forum that advances government and private sector efforts to create clean and sustainable communities.


Copyright © 2006, Green Technology. All rights reserved.