flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Nation's largest net-zero K-12 school among winners of 2013 Best of Green Schools award

Nation's largest net-zero K-12 school among winners of 2013 Best of Green Schools award

The Lady Bird Johnson Middle School in Irving, Texas, was named a winner of USGBC's annual award, along with nine other schools, individuals and communities working toward the common goal of healthy, high-performing learning places.


By USGBC | December 17, 2013

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today announced its third annual “Best of Green Schools” list, which recognizes top educational institutions, individuals and initiatives across the country for environmental efforts.

“In reviewing the nominations for the Best of Green Schools 2013 list, what we experienced more than anything was profound gratitude for the thousands of champions who are catalyzing the green schools movement and demonstrating to the nation and the world that where our children learn matters,” said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. "This list represents exemplary leadership from schools, campuses, students, policy makers and more who are raising the bar when it comes to creating healthy, safe and resource-efficient schools.”

The Best of Green Schools list highlights schools, individuals and communities working toward the common goal of healthy, high-performing learning places for all. The list recognizes the hard work being done across the country to make schools better and honors the best examples in the green schools movement.

The recipients of the Best of Green Schools 2013 include:

K-12 School – Lady Bird Johnson Middle School (Irving, Texas):  LEED Gold Lady Bird Johnson Middle School is the first net-zero energy school in the state of Texas. At 152,250 square feet, the campus is the largest net-zero educational facility in the country.

Higher Education Institution – Emory University (Atlanta, Ga.): Emory University has identified sustainability as one of its top priorities — to help restore the global ecosystem, foster healthy living and reduce the university’s impact on the local environment. Emory has among the highest number of square feet of LEED-certified space of any campus in America.

Ambassador – Lori Braunstein, Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC): As director for green schools at DVGBC, Braunstein has developed an effective and comprehensive strategy for engaging and supporting teachers, students, facilities managers and administrators around sustainability programs in schools. She also initiated the statewide Pennsylvania Green & Healthy Schools Partnership to bring together key stakeholders from the green building, environmental education and health and wellness fields around an agenda for green and healthy schools.

Policy Maker – Colorado state Sen. Andy Kerr: Kerr has been one of the strongest proponents of green schools in Colorado and throughout the country for many years. In the spring of 2013, he successfully passed SB 13-279, requiring all school districts in Colorado to build new schools or to reconstruct schools to the highest possible energy efficiency.

Moment for the Movement – California Proposition 39, the Clean Energy Jobs Act: Under the landmark Clean Energy and Jobs Act, $2.5 billion over the next five years will be directed toward energy efficiency projects and repairs to promote healthy, high-performing schools in California.

Business Leadership – Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH): HMH is helping to transform learning environments by driving the conversation around sustainability education and the Common Core. HMH also serves as a partner of the Center for Green Schools’ Green Apple program, making a financial contribution in honor of school customers who switch from physical textbook samples to the (greener) virtual alternative.

Community Event – Green Apple Day of Service event at Duckett’s Lane Elementary School (Elkridge. Md.): Grimm +Parker Architects joined Dustin Construction and the students, principal and staff of Duckett’s Lane Elementary School on Sept. 29, 2013, to host and coordinate a student-led scavenger hunt for environmental features in and around the new school. Stations were set up to demonstrate how the building and site are teaching tools for their environmental literacy curriculum.

Collaboration – Celebrate Sustainability: This "green partnership" is among Virginia Tech, the town of Blacksburg, Va. and Sustainable Blacksburg, a local citizen's group in the town. Every year, the three organizations come together to program a week's worth of events that recognize and celebrate the sustainability achievements of the school and the town over the previous year.

Transformation – The Green Schools Academy (as led by Jenna Cramer, vice president of green schools for the Green Building Alliance): The Green Schools Academy program brings together private, public, parochial and charter schools to work toward a culture of sustainability and transformation in healthy schools for all children.

Student Leadership – Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council (Fayette County, Ky.): The Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council (BYSC) is a project-based organization composed of students from all Fayette County high schools. The BYSC meets monthly to discuss collaborative environmental outreach projects, partnership prospects and leadership and post-secondary opportunities in all areas of sustainability including energy management, outdoor classrooms, waste management, water quality and air quality.

Please visit centerforgreenschools.org/bestof2013 for more information on each of this year’s recipients.

Related Stories

| Feb 28, 2012

McCarthy completes second phase of San Diego’s Scripps Hospital

Representing the second phase of a four-phased, $41.3 million expansion and remodeling project, the new addition doubles the size of the existing emergency department and trauma center to encompass a combined 27,000 square feet of space. 

| Feb 28, 2012

LUMEnergi names Weinbaum president and CEO

Weinbaum’s experience spans communications, nanotechnology, electronics components, consumer products, semiconductors, software, wireless and lighting.

| Feb 28, 2012

Griffin Electric completes Medical University of South Carolina project

The 210,000-sf complex is comprised of two buildings, and houses research, teaching and office areas, plus conference spaces for the University.

| Feb 27, 2012

Consigli complete first building for Bigelow Ocean Sciences Campus

Designed by WBRC Architects Engineers in association with Perkins + Will.

| Feb 27, 2012

Hollister completes fit-out of 41,500-sf office space in Princeton, N.J.

Intricate interior project involved construction of more than 80 offices.

| Feb 27, 2012

Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital building receives LEED Gold

Innovative and sustainable design reflects best environmental building practices.

| Feb 26, 2012

Milwaukee U-Haul facility receives LEED-CI Silver

The new elements of the facility now include: efficient lighting with day-lighting controls and occupancy sensors, a high-efficiency HVAC system used in conjunction with a newly constructed thermal envelope to help reduce energy consumption, and the installation of low-flow fixtures to reduce water consumption.

| Feb 26, 2012

Hollister Construction awarded 42,000-sf office fit-out in Holtsville, N.Y.

Space leased by U.S. General Service Administration.

| Feb 26, 2012

Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin’s Chen LEED certified

Chen works closely with property owners to ensure that their properties meet and exceed all industry standards, and also provide long-term energy savings.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021