The U.S. Green Building Council Georgia Chapter has been awarded a seed grant from Turner Foundation to enhance two programs, one for high schools and the other for elementary and middle schools, that will engage 200 schools for the 2011-2012 school year. The programs are part of the Chapter’s High Performance, Healthy Schools initiative, which helps schools effectively implement sustainability projects.
To track results and progress of the programs, students affiliated with the International Knowledge & Research Center for Green Building at Southern Polytechnic State University will manage data entry, including two years of historical school performance data. They will use the newly developed Sustainability Dashboard, a unique web-based service that makes tracking sustainability initiatives affordable and easy.
The high school program is called “Green YOUR School” and is part of the SkillsUSA Competition in partnership with the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia. Students compete by completing tasks in three areas: submission of a LEED for Existing Buildings scorecard for their school, submission of an energy audit, and the development and implementation of a student conservation program. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the green building rating system created by the USGBC.
The elementary and middle school program is a partnership with the Girls Scouts of Greater Atlanta, United Parcel Service and the USGBC Georgia Chapter. Volunteers from UPS help Girl Scout Troops establish “Sustainability Teams” in their elementary and middle schools. The teams help the school systems reduce significant costs in their operational budgets while instilling in the students improved conservation behaviors, which can also be taken home.
Sustainability Teams will be piloted during the 2011-2012 school year at Forsyth County Schools (suburban), Butts County Schools (rural) and various schools in the Atlanta area (urban). The teams will implement energy conservation, water conservation, recycling, and clean air school programs. BD+C
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 8, 2024
Boston’s plans to hold back rising seawater stall amid real estate slowdown
Boston has placed significant aspects of its plan to protect the city from rising sea levels on the actions of private developers. Amid a post-Covid commercial development slump, though, efforts to build protective infrastructure have stalled.
Sustainability | Apr 8, 2024
3 sustainable design decisions to make early
In her experience as an architect, Megan Valentine AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, WELL AP, Fitwel, Director of Sustainability, KTGY has found three impactful sustainable design decisions: site selection, massing and orientation, and proper window-to-wall ratios.
Brick and Masonry | Apr 4, 2024
Best in brick buildings: 9 projects take top honors in the Brick in Architecture Awards
The Ace Hotel Toronto, designed by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, and the TCU Music Center by Bora Architecture & Interiors are among nine "Best in Class" winners and 44 overall winners in the Brick Industry Association's 2023 Brick in Architecture Awards.
Retail Centers | Apr 4, 2024
Retail design trends: Consumers are looking for wellness in where they shop
Consumers are making lifestyle choices with wellness in mind, which ignites in them a feeling of purpose and a sense of motivation. That’s the conclusion that the architecture and design firm MG2 draws from a survey of 1,182 U.S. adult consumers the firm conducted last December about retail design and what consumers want in healthier shopping experiences.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 3, 2024
Foster + Partners, CannonDesign unveil design for Mayo Clinic campus expansion
A redesign of the Mayo Clinic’s downtown campus in Rochester, Minn., centers around two new clinical high-rise buildings. The two nine-story structures will reach a height of 221 feet, with the potential to expand to 420 feet.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 2, 2024
How university rec centers are evolving to support wellbeing
In a LinkedIn Live, Recreation & Wellbeing’s Sadat Khan and Abby Diehl joined HOK architect Emily Ostertag to discuss the growing trend to design and program rec centers to support mental wellbeing and holistic health.
Architects | Apr 2, 2024
AE Works announces strategic acquisition of WTW Architects
AE Works, an award-winning building design and consulting firm is excited to announce that WTW Architects, a national leader in higher education design, has joined the firm.
Office Buildings | Apr 2, 2024
SOM designs pleated façade for Star River Headquarters for optimal daylighting and views
In Guangzhou, China, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has designed the recently completed Star River Headquarters to minimize embodied carbon, reduce energy consumption, and create a healthy work environment. The 48-story tower is located in the business district on Guangzhou’s Pazhou Island.
K-12 Schools | Apr 1, 2024
High school includes YMCA to share facilities and connect with the broader community
In Omaha, Neb., a public high school and a YMCA come together in one facility, connecting the school with the broader community. The 285,000-sf Westview High School, programmed and designed by the team of Perkins&Will and architect of record BCDM Architects, has its own athletic facilities but shares a pool, weight room, and more with the 30,000-sf YMCA.
Market Data | Apr 1, 2024
Nonresidential construction spending dips 1.0% in February, reaches $1.179 trillion
National nonresidential construction spending declined 1.0% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.179 trillion.
