New website shares tools and resources to make Minnesota schools healthier and more sustainable

MPCA is a participant in the new Minnesota Green Schools Coalition, which is working to create a Minnesota infrastructure of green schools – healthy, high-performance schools that are conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money.

The coalition's web site serves as a central repository for curriculum, design and construction of new schools; operations and maintenance of existing schools; research, tools and calculators to benchmark and measure building performance; case studies and financial/technical assistance. Other features include a calendar of green school events throughout the state, as well as an interactive blog allowing individuals to share additional resources, best practices, and ask questions.

Green building for schools

From kindergarten through high school, a typical child spends up to 15,000 hours in the classroom. A survey by the U.S. General Accounting Office estimates that over 46 million students attend schools with unsatisfactory environmental conditions — poor ventilation, toxic materials, and inadequate natural lighting. Green building addresses the environmental issues associated with conventional school buildings.

Sustainable buildings are healthy buildings with good indoor air quality and lighting. They are energy efficient, use natural resources in an efficient manner, and are operated and maintained in an environmentally-friendly fashion. Sustainable buildings utilize non-toxic options for finishes/materials, cleaning supplies, pest management, and grounds maintenance.

A study of 30 green schools built from 2001 to 2006 in 10 states found that green schools use an average of 33 percent less energy and 32 percent less water than conventional schools. The results demonstrate that green schools can be more cost-effective despite the 1 to 2 percent higher initial price tag. The report also summarizes research from other major studies showing the health and community benefits of green schools.

The following resources on sustainable building are intended to introduce school administrators, facilities staff, and teachers to the spectrum of sustainability possible within schools. The list includes general resources, teaching materials, and links to case studies. The resources are organized around several green components: waste prevention and management, procurement, indoor air quality, energy, daylighting, landscaping, and water conservation.

Reference copies of these resources are available in the MPCA Learning Resource Center. Call to set up an appointment for assistance, 651-757-2120 or 1-800-877-6300.

General

• Minnesota Healthy Sustainable Schools — Guide and Assessment Tool for Change (2006).  Part I provides background on key environmental topics that impact school facilities and offers resources to implement changes.  Part II provides a checklist for each topicsto help teams work through the issues. 
• Build Green Schools (U.S. Green Building Council) | www.buildgreenschools.org
  Launched in 2008, this website describes how a school building or facility creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money. Explore some of the elements that make up a typical green learning environment. Find out about local, state and federal initiatives. Information about LEED for Schools, research, case studies, and the latest news. Learn how to green existing school buildings with LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EBOM).
• Healthy School Environments (U.S. EPA) | www.epa.gov/schools/
  The Healthy School Environments website is designed to provide one-stop access to the many programs and resources available to help prevent and resolve environmental issues in schools.
• Collaborative for High Performance Schools
  This California collaborative was formed to facilitate the design of high performance schools. CHPS has developed a comprehensive Best Practices Manual, with separate volumes for planning, design, and criteria to be designated a CHPS school. Material specifications, including Section 01350 indoor air quality standards, are posted for free download: www.chps.net/manual/index.htm
• Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines | www.msbg.umn.edu
  Creation of the Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines, also known as the B3 Guidelines, was mandated by the 2001 Legislature. These guidelines are region-specific, tailored to the needs of public buildings in the state, and intended to document the actual costs and benefits of sustainable building. They are organized into five categories: performance management, site and water, energy and atmosphere, indoor environmental quality, and materials and waste. After 2004, all new building projects that receive Minnesota state bond funding must use the B3 Guidelines.
• High-Performance Schools for Higher Performing Students (MPCA grant project 2001)(2001)
  The learning experience of students can be improved through better school design. This manual is a tool for decision-makers to state the purpose and expectations for school construction or remodeling, focusing on the idea that students come first. High performance schools — whether new or remodeled — can serve as environmental models and provide comfortable surroundings with minimal resource use, all without incurring higher costs.
• Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability | www.umacs.org
  Building a regional network that supports individuals and organizations seeking to move their campuses to a more environmentally sustainable footing through networking, collaboration, information exchange, and face-to-face meetings of faculty, professional staff, students and administrators working toward sustainability. They currently offer e-mail lists, a web-based collection of case studies, and regional meetings.

Waste prevention and management

• Recycle More Minnesota Toolkit for Your School.  Handy toolkitto help your school get a recycling program organized and operating successfully.  Webpage links to a Google document sharing site with best practices, case studies, sample posters/labeling, lesson plans, phots and presentations shared by successful school recycling programs in Minnesota. 
• Recycling Guide for Minnesota Schools (MPCA)
  This manual is an introduction to developing and implementing school recycling programs. (2007 updates)
• Getting an 'A' at Lunch: Smart Strategies to Reduce Waste in Campus Dining (INFORM, Inc., 1998)
  www.informinc.org/getatlunch.php
  Simple strategies that have been successfully employed on campuses around the country to prevent food waste though more efficient materials use. From cutting food waste by preparing smaller batches throughout the meal, to discouraging excessive napkin use by moving dispensers away from cafeteria lines and onto tables — these are measures that are helping schools reduce their procurement, operational, and waste management costs as well as the environmental impacts of their own activities.

Procurement

• Minnesota Materials Exchange Alliance | www.mnexchange.org
  Materials exchange offers a free service that connects organizations with surplus and usable wastes with others that might be able to use them. It's tailored to businesses, but also a valuable resource for schools. Use their online catalog, or contact the Minnesota Materials Exchange Alliance at 612-624-1300 or 800-247-0015.
• Minnesota Recycled Products Directory | www.pca.state.mn.us/rpdir
  This searchable online directory lists quality, locally produced products made from recycled materials. Includes information about Minnesota manufacturers, distributors and products.
• Minnesota Computers for Schools | www.mncfs.org
  This Minnesota nonprofit provides eligible K-12 schools with quality, used computer equipment donated from businesses and organizations. For details on eligibility or apply, visit the Web site or call 651-779-2816.

Indoor air quality

• Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Schools.  Minn. Department of Health provides infromation on investigating and remediating mold, model asthma plan, model IAQ management plan, radon management and other resources. 
• Section 01350 Indoor Air Quality Standards
  Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), 2002
  The CHPS criteria includes California Section 01350 indoor air quality standards and materials testing protocol. Read about "health and productivity" issues. The 3-volume Best Practices Manual and other materials are available for free download: www.chps.net/manual/.
• Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1995
  A "how-to" guide for improving indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools, with checklists for classrooms, ventilation, maintenance, food service, waste management, and renovation and repairs. Also features a project coordinator's guide, a health official's guide to indoor air pollution, a problem-solving wheel, and a video — Taking Action and Ventilation Basics. Much of the kit is online: www.epa.gov/iaq/schools. Request a free kit by faxing a request to the EPA's Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse, (fax) 703-356-5386, or call 800-438-4318.
• Environment and Human Health, Inc. | www.ehhi.org
  This site offers many reports and resources about healthy schools including: 12 Steps Toward Healthier Schools, a brief guide to simple, low-cost IAQ improvement strategies.

Outdoor air quality

• No Idling: Protect Children From Diesel Fumes | www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/ee/noidle.cfm
  In May 2002, Minnesota adopted legislation to protect the health and safety of children from harmful diesel bus emissions. This law calls for schools to reduce the unnecessary idling of school buses in front of schools, and reroute bus parking zones away from air-intake vents (or if necessary, relocate the air-intake vents).

Integrated pest management (IPM)

• Reducing Pesticides in Minnesota Schools | www.pcaa.state.mn.us/oea/ee/ipm.cfm
  This two-year pilot project worked with four schools to establish effective integrated pest management (IPM) programs. The study showed that IPM can be implemented without incurring additional costs, and that any school can have a successful IPM program with a little bit of technical assistance and the commitment to make changes.
• IPM in Schools | Minnesota Department of Agriculture
  The MDA has extensive resources on school IPM, including fact sheets, a curriculum (Pest Patrol), as well as trainings in 2002 for school maintenance and health and safety officers. Call Jeanne Ciborowski, 651-297-3217, or visit www.mda.state.mn.us/ipm/.
• School IPM | IPM Institute of North America, Inc.
  "IPM Standards for Schools: A Program for Reducing Pest and Pesticide Risks in Schools and Other Sensitive Environments" (April 2002) lists more than 700 IPM practices for use in school buildings and on school grounds, as well as more than 250 information resources. The 128-page guide is a free download from www.ipminstitute.org/school.htm, as well as online links.
• Integrated Pest Management in Schools | http://schoolipm.ifas.ufl.edu
  University of Florida site supported by EPA and the National IPM Network provides technical information for specific pests, administrator forms and contracts, presentations and more.
• Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides
  www.pesticide.org/schools01.html
  Through the School Pesticide Use Reduction program, NCAP provides materials and sample policy language for reducing pesticide use on school grounds and promoting non-toxic or less-toxic pest control alternatives. Useful information for concerned parents, teachers, groundskeepers and others.

Energy

• Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits
  Capital E, October 2006 | Download (1.7Mb)
  This study of 30 green schools built during the period 2001 to 2006 in 10 states found that green schools use an average of 33 percent less energy and 32 percent less water than conventional schools, demonstrating that green schools can be more cost-effective despite the slightly higher initial price tag that averages 1-2 percent. The report also summarizes research from other major studies showing the health and community benefits of green schools.  
• School Operations and Maintenance: Best Practices for Controlling Energy Costs
  Princeton Energy Resources International, August 2004 | Download (3.5Mb)
  This 132-page guidebook is designed for K-12 school system business officials and facility managers to integrate energy efficiency into building operation and maintenance of school buildings. It not only provides technical information, but also organizational information on barriers, challenges, and the necessary steps required to develop this type of energy management program within the school district organizational structure. The guide also provides case studies and identifies common practices that have been successful in a wide variety of American school districts.
• Green Schools | www.greenschoolsnational.com. The Alliance to Save Energy offers this comprehensive program designed for K-12 schools that creates energy awareness, enhances experiential learning, and saves schools money on energy costs by working at a district level. The program helps schools use energy efficiently through building retrofits, changes in operational and maintenance routines, and changes in the behavior of building users. The website features lesson plans, a bibliography of resources, comments from teachers currently using the Green Schools curriculum, and an online forum. The site also includes national and international case studies, and a section on sustainable construction for schools.
• Energy Smart Schools | www.eren.doe.gov/energysmartschools/
  EnergySmart Schools (ESS) is an important part of the Rebuild America program that is committed to building a nation of schools that are smart about every aspect of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy provides a how-to building design guide, case studies, teaching resources, and detailed information on school building elements for energy conservation.
• Energy Star for Schools | www.energystar.gov
  The Energy Star program is all about energy efficiency, and they offer tools and resources tailored to school audiences. This site provides a benchmarking tool for assessments of energy performance for buildings. Their list of energy-efficient buildings now includes a growing number of schools around the country. involved in energy conservation projects. Offers general tips for reducing energy consumption while upgrading or constructing school facilities.
• Green Schools Energy Project: A step-by-step manual
  Youth for Environmental Sanity, 1998
  The how-to guide explains organizing, planning and implementing school energy-saving projects, and includes facts on energy use and related environmental effects. The manual is free for download at www.yesworld.org. To order a printed copy, call 877-293-7226 ($10).
• Schools Going Solar | www.schoolsgoingsolar.org
  Part of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council's Photovoltaics for You program, the site features an online database of U.S. schools engaged in renewable energy projects, using geothermal, wind and photovoltaic technology. Includes resources and links for additional information on alternative energy in schools.

Daylighting

• Daylighting for Sustainable Design (Mary Guzowski, UMN College of Design, McGraw-Hill, 2000)
  This book provides an overview of daylighting techniques for all buildings. Uses case studies of successful implementations to demonstrate daylighting design principles. To order, call McGraw-Hill: 800-262-4729, ISBN 0070254397 ($79.95).
• Daylighting School Facilities.  The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities resource lists include the most recent research into the use of natural light to illuminate the interior of schools and university buildings.
•  An Evaluation of Daylighting in Four Schools in the Research Triangle Area of North Carolina.  This summary report  discusses results  from four schools built from 1992-2003 and the success of various daylighting strategies and technologies.

Landscaping

• Greening School Grounds: Creating Habitats for Learning
  www.greenteacher.com
  A series of articles on natural outdoor spaces for schools, sharing perspectives on childhood needs for outdoor exploration and connection to nature. Offers several ideas for schoolyard projects including insect gardens, tree nurseries, bird-watching areas, vegetable gardens and natural plant succession areas. Also offers suggestions for connecting the outdoor classroom to common curriculum subjects. To purchase ($21.95), call Green Teacher at 416-960-1244 or email info@greenteacher.com.
• Schoolyard Habitats | www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/
  The National Wildlife Federation provides the basics for implementing a schoolyard habitat program, improving schoolyard areas with natural landscaping, attracting wildlife and conserving resources. They also focus on integrating the outdoor classroom with several learning themes, with many case studies and an extensive list of resources. A "School Habitat Certification" project for schools helps develop and implement schoolyard habitats. Contact the NWF for a planning guide and application at their website or call 800-822-9919 toll free.
• National Gardening Association | www.kidsgardening.com
  Designed for K-12 schools, this site provides information on Youth Garden Grants and other schoolyard greening projects. Also provides a resource directory for teachers.

Water Conservation

• Water Conservation in Schools.  The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities provides a resource list of links, books and journal articles on water efficiency, water recycling and plumbing issues in school buildings and grounds.

Educational resources

• A Child's Place in the Environment (Olga N. Clymire, 1997)
  This series provides a comprehensive environmental curriculum for grades 1-6, including several topics that relate to sustainable design principles and the built environment. Units 5 and 6, in particular, emphasize conserving natural resources and achieving sustainability within communities. Each unit costs $65; contact Olga Clymire at the Lake County Office of Education (California), 707-263-7249, or learn more online: www.acpe.lake.k12.ca.us.
• Make a Difference in School.  The National Wildlife Federation provides the basics for incorporating outdoor habitsats into cross-curricular learning.