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By Racquel Palmese
This was the third annual Green California Schools Summit, which took place at the Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, California, on December 9-11, 2009. Attendees came to the Summit to plan for the future or to find ways to incorporate green elements into their existing buildings. They came for ideas on how to save money through energy efficient retrofits. They wanted to know about school gardens, recycling programs, green purchasing and the latest in green technology. The common denominator was that attendees felt healthy, high performance, energy efficient schools still needs to be a priority. In a short 20 minutes, Alec Loorz filled their sails. He came armed with a message that would set the tone for the entire Summit: that schools that are built green, that teachers who are committed to emphasizing environmental studies, and communities that understand the crucial nature of climate change to the next generation are not only nice to have – they are an imperative that can help save the planet. Loorz, who at 12 years old was so inspired by Al Gore’s documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” that he started his own non-profit organization, Kids vs. Global Warming, has reached over 20,000 youth through hundreds of presentations. He was leaving the next day to Copenhagen, where he had been invited to “connect with youth from other countries who are most affected by climate change and to try to set up an under-18 youth movement. We are too young to vote,” he said, “but we are passionate, and we know the future is up to us.” Featured speaker Rachel Gutter, director of the Education Sector at the U.S. Green Building Council, spoke about her own experience attending school in buildings that were satisfactory – as well as buildings that she could not recall. “They didn’t get in the way of my education,” she recalled, “it was my teachers who inspired me to learn…but what can education look like when school buildings truly enhance the learning experience?” “Green schools are about more than lower utility bills,” Gutter said, “[they are] about our teachers’ ability to raise a new generation of sustainability natives, students who are fluent in the language of green. Green schools can help our children dream big and envision a future for themselves as a generation of leaders ready to take on the challenges that we ourselves know we are going to leave behind.” Friday’s keynote was introduced by Kathleen McKee, an education attorney and partner with Fagen Friedman and Fulfrost LLP, who thanked the audience for participating in the summit. “As I look out at this large crowd I know that we have two things in common. We all serve education and we all care about the environment. We know that excellent education and environmental education are two of the greatest investments we can make in our future.” “The Governor’s priorities are environment and education, and that fits right in with the Green Schools Summit. I’ve learned so much. I didn’t realize the synergy here, the intelligence, the innovation... It’s fantastic. These are tough economic times – there’s a financial reason to think green with efficiency, conservation and the environment. The students are the ones who will innovate the next generation of technology. It’s very important for every educator to know about this.” Dr. Glenn Thomas, Secretary of Education, State of California Keynote speaker Bharat Patel, senior vice president and director of sustainability at the international architectural firm, URS Corporation, presented facts and figures from around the world that brought to light the urgency with which we must address the climate crisis and how we can do so. Moving from global to local scales, he noted that while countries must commit to reducing their carbon emissions to address the climate issue, “countries don’t emit; people emit.” He spoke about green jobs as a key opportunity, both to address climate change and the economy, and how rapidly trades and technology are converging around green concepts. California is, and must continue, to take advantage of this unique situation, he explained, particularly by injecting green themes into school curricula to prepare our children for a green future. Featured speaker Bill Orr, executive director of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, equated his passion for surfing with skills needed for building high performance schools. He recalled his work in the creation of the CHPS green school rating criteria. “The wave looks twice as tall when you’re looking at it as when you’re riding it,” he told the audience. “So I’m issuing my challenge…to go out catch that wave, build high performance schools, modernize high performance schools, make your existing schools high performance.” Outside the newly refurbished and expanded convention center, which has applied for a LEED (the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certificate, American Modular Systems, the Summit’s Premier Sponsor, erected a “Gen 7” modular school room, a “grid-neutral” learning environment that featured recycled and recyclable materials, low- and zero-volatile organic chemical interiors, state-of-the-art acoustical design, energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, and smart lighting. AMS Vice President for Sales and Marketing Rick Torres explained that “things are rapidly changing in school construction. There’s a growing concern in school construction with global warming, carbon footprints and healthy school learning environments. Energy is the biggest concern right now on the business side of schools. We have developed a classroom that can perform off the grid.” The large investment in time, materials and money to build the modular classroom and to sponsor the event was worth it, Torres said, because “we’re concerned with healthy, energy efficient learning environments and we wanted to showcase that here.” The Green Schools Expo On the exhibition floor, attendees were able to have questions answered and to be informed about new technologies by over 135 exhibitors. They discovered the “Passport to Grid Neutral and Green Schools,” an interagency informational booth sponsored by the Division of the State Architect, where they could talk to representatives from agencies including the California Building Standards Commission, the California Department of Education, the California Energy Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission and others. Footprints on the carpet led attendees on a circuit to tables where agency representatives discussed strategies and obtained resources for building green schools in California in challenging times. Nearby, Los Angeles Unified School District master gardener Mud Baron hosted a live garden display, offering tips for integrating garden programs into school curriculum. “Wooly Pockets,” structured “living walls” of native plants, adorned the stage during the two general sessions at the event, and another “wooly pocket,” which was a schoolyard fence decorated by hanging fruits, was placed at the entrance to the convention center. Both were provided by WoolyPockets.com. Pre-Summit workshops Pre-Summit full-day workshops took place on December 9, providing in-depth, interactive educational sessions on subjects such as an overview of new green school rating and green building criteria and products from the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). CHPS also offered a sneak peek at its Operations Report Card and showcased its High Performance Products Database. The U.S. Green Building Council focused on using its LEED certification system for existing buildings in a workshop that explored strategies and opportunities for district-wide sustainability projects. “Paying for Green Schools” was led by highly skilled practitioners in the green schools arena, addressing topics such as: funding for high performance under the state program, and what's available to school districts from an architect's and owner's perspective. Other workshops included Planning and Managing a School Sustainability Plan, presented by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and focused on its $20.3 billion school construction program to build 132 new schools and to address more than 20,000 modernization and repair projects. The full conference took place the next two days, with over 2,200 people registered for the event. Half of the paid attendees were split between those representing the schools sector and the private sector. Others came from government, non-profits, the press, speakers, etc. To help school districts fund their attendance at the summit, sponsors offered scholarships. Champion Sponsor, the law firm of Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP, presented 20 sponsorships to school districts. Peter Fagen, managing partner, said his firm represents about 400 of the 1,000 districts in California. “We’re here because our business and facilities practice group, which is the fastest growing in our firm, is at the forefront of helping districts go green. As a sponsor of this program we purchased admissions to this conference, knowing that our districts are in dire financial straits and not able to fund attendance to conferences like this. Not only do we think this is a very important conference to attend, we’re backing that up with the scholarships.” Seminars and Panels Attendees chose from educational seminars and panels created to help solve the riddle of how to create healthy, high performance learning environments in an era with little or no building budgets. Some sessions were geared to helping districts plan ahead for green building programs. California State Architect David Thorman, chairman of the Summit Advisory Board, and John Dale, a leading green schools architect with Harley Ellis Devereaux, led a session on “grid-neutral” schools. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Schools Sector team presented several sessions, adding, for the second year, a popular national perspectives track to the Summit. Even with a recession in place now, the U.S. will still be spending hundreds of billions of dollars on school construction over the next 20 years. Now is the time to plan for schools that will cost less to operate, consume less energy, produce less greenhouse gasses and provide innovative learning environments, said the USGBC describing one of its sessions. The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), which created the chief California green schools rating system, is growing to a national organization. CHPS’ new Core Criteria and California Criteria, along with the Operations Report Card were introduced by Bill Orr, CHPS executive director. How to finance green schools, green fleets and green curriculum and other sustainability measures is among the most vital challenges faced by school districts and green school advocates right now. The Summit provided sessions addressing these issues, including a presentation by the Irvine Unified School District, which has rolled out several programs, including embarking on the largest district-wide solar program in the U.S. The Coalition for Adequate School Housing (CASH) provided a how-to workshop on executing a green school project. In the Energy Track, school districts, architects and other experts presented information on the long-term savings districts are experiencing through implementation of energy efficiency projects. Dr. Glenn Thomas, Secretary of Education for the State of California, participated in a panel about sustainability education. “We have several million students in this state,” he said. “The Governor’s priorities are environment and education, and that fits right in with the Green Schools Summit. “I’ve learned so much,” he continued. “I didn’t realize the synergy here, the intelligence, the innovation... It’s fantastic. These are tough economic times – there’s a financial reason to think green with efficiency, conservation and the environment. The students are the ones who will innovate the next generation of technology. It’s very important for every educator to know about this.”
One of the benefits of green schools is that they also serve as “real world” learning tools for students. Many school solar projects, for example, include kiosks where students can monitor real-time energy usage. Learning opportunities abound when sustainability is merged into the curriculum, and sessions, such as “Building Curriculum from Your Green Programs,” and “Thinking Outside the Books,” offered unique resources that are available to help teachers accomplish this goal. The first-in-the-nation green building code is being implemented in California, and Dave Walls, executive director of the California Building Standards Commission was among the panelists who gave an overview of the code and how it will apply to schools as they go from voluntary to mandatory compliance by 2011. A thought-provoking session, “The Myth of Sisyphus: a Roadmap to Greening Our Schools,” was presented by Eric Cory Freed, principal of organicARCHITECT, who equated Sisyphus’ punishment of having to roll a boulder uphill for eternity to school buildings that eternally consume energy and resources. Other sessions on green purchasing, green cleaning, school gardens, managing renewable energy contracts and one on green roofs, insulated concrete forms and modular buildings rounded out the program. Leadership Awards The third annual Green Schools Leadership Awards, highlighting innovation and dedication to sustainability in six categories, were presented during the Leadership Awards Reception on December 10, with State Architect David Thorman on hand to present the awards. Secretary Thomas opened the ceremony, noting that, “sustainability and green schools are more important now than ever. For those of you who are going to receive awards, know that the Governor strongly believes that the two pillars for California are the environment and education. Keep up the good work. This is a crucial year coming up, where we can really move the ball forward.” The Industry Award was given to architect Wendy Rogers and the firm of LPA Inc. for their work in not only designing green schools but for a dedication to integrating design and curriculum within the educational spaces. LPA has more LEED certified buildings than any firm in the state. A Spanish teacher at La Mirada High School with a personal passion for sustainability won the Teacher Award. Norma Williamson raised over $70,000 in grants to fund two eco-clubs. She also initiated and coordinated the first school-wide Annual Energy & Earth Day Festival and many other projects. The Irvine Unified School District won the District Award for its resolution to build all future schools to high sustainability standards and a solar program that has grown from one experimental solar panel to the largest solar project of any school district in the U.S. At the other end of the spectrum, a tiny school district in Northern California, Dublin Unified, with only 6,000 students, won the Green Building award for its “live rebuild” of an existing school, where students are attending school during the renovation and are actively involved in all its green aspects. Creating a dedicated position of Director of Sustainability led the San Francisco Unified School District to implement a plethora of sustainability projects among its 150-plus schools. The District won the Green Culture award for, among other things, focusing on modernizing its existing schools to achieve energy efficiency, providing healthy foods in its cafeterias and completing an energy efficient “virtual server farm” to network its computers. The Energy Award went to the New Haven Unified School District for its solar systems and dedication to energy efficiency. The district has also embarked on a project to retrofit its entire fleet of school buses to reduce emissions up to 85 percent. Buyer Vendor Lounge One of the most popular events during the Summit was the Buyer Vendor Lounge, where exhibitors and sponsors were able to schedule appointments with school procurement officers to develop relationships and improve procurement of their green products and services. Feedback to what has become an established event at the Summit was extremely enthusiastic. “I thoroughly enjoyed the Buyer/Vendor Lounge,” said Roger Chang, Regional Business Services Coordinator for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. “I actually could have stayed longer in the lounge…” “First, let me thank you for having me at the event,” said Shawn Gatewood, Director Maintenance Operations & Facilities at the Lowell Joint Unified School District. “I am very pleased with the vendors you set me up with…I am going to be meeting with the rubber sidewalk vendor, the tankless water heater vendor, the roof shade vendor, and the variable refrigerant unit vendor. I really liked the idea of having the chance to sit down for a few minutes with them. Usually, at the trade shows, you stop by a booth and you feel obligated to move along so others can ask questions. This way, there is a good opportunity for questions. You and your staff were very professional and courteous. Thanks again…” Commenting on the Buyer Vendor Lounge and the event itself, Paul Hanson, Facilities Director for the Ventura County Office of Education, said, “I thought the scheduled meetings were very helpful and I think you did a great job matching vendors with potential clients….The overall event…was really outstanding this year with a great mix of vendors, products, state agencies, and speakers. The recently constructed venue was very attractive. I really like the relocate-able classroom demonstration and eating lunch at a local restaurant. Everyone involved with the event should pat themselves on the back. Congratulations on a job well done!” Toward 2010 One of the most notable aspects of the 2009 Summit was a palpable sense of emerging opportunity – from exciting new technologies and products to the discovery of synergies and potential collaborations between schools and private sector partners. All of this suggests that there will be much to share at the 2010 Summit, in particular the challenges and successes of the work that will be undertaken in a year of continuing economic and educational change. “Districts face increasing pressure to understand how green programs can help them navigate these changes” said Gwen Gross, Ph.D., Superintendent of the Irvine Unified School District. “The Green California Schools Summit offers a rare chance to gather vital information and resources.”
Green Pathways to the FutureTaking place concurrently with the Green California Schools Summit, the Green Pathways to the Future teacher training institute offered almost 100 teachers and other educators a rare opportunity to learn about the real world of green technology and to turn that knowledge into curriculum they could use in their classrooms.
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