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Energy Management for Schools: A DEP Pilot Program
The Energy Management for Schools Pilot Program is now in its third month and this newsletter will focus on ENERGY STAR benchmarking and how school districts can use the data to build a financial case for completing energy projects. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) invites schools in the south-central region to participate in ENERGY STAR benchmarking and learn how they can connect benchmarking to actual energy savings.
Program Participation Facts:
- Number of schools participating: 12
- Total building square footage: 3,468,255
- Total energy costs: $3,627,410/year
- Total water costs: $43,883/year
- Energy savings: 18,201 MBtu/year
- Total emissions reduction: 1,591 MtCo2 e/year
DEP is Accepting Applications for 2013 Environmental Education Grants
DEP invites schools, colleges and universities, county conservation districts, nonprofit organizations, municipalities and businesses to apply for its annual Environmental Education Grant to develop environmental education programs and projects. For more information, or to apply, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click on the Environmental Education button, call DEP's Environmental Education and Information Center at 717-772-1828, or email adevine@pa.gov. The deadline to apply is Dec. 13.
An article on: Green schools save money
Green schools can be created at or below regional K-12 construction costs and operated within existing facilities budgets. The Cost of Green Revisited (Davis Langdon, 2007) reveals that projects can and are achieving LEED certification not only within their budgets, but also within the same cost range as non-LEED projects
According to Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits by Greg Kats, green schools use 33 percent less energy and 32 percent less water than conventionally constructed schools, significantly reducing utility costs over the average 42-year lifecycle of a school. On average, green schools save $100,000 per year on operating costs — enough to hire at least one new teacher, buy 200 new computers, or purchase 5,000 textbooks. If all new U.S. school construction and renovation went green today, the total energy savings alone would be $20 billion over the next 10 years.
The cost savings in green schools are generated from many sources, including energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems, energy-efficient lighting and occupancy sensors, daylighting strategies, water-efficient fixtures and lower operations and maintenance expenses. The landscaping at green schools can minimize water use and decrease maintenance costs by using native, drought resistant plants, rainwater harvesting and innovative irrigation systems.
USGBC LAUNCHES THE CENTER FOR GREEN SCHOOLS AT THE U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL
Across America, when the school bell rings, the next generation of leaders walks into classrooms, libraries, cafeterias and assembly halls that are compromising their ability to learn, not enhancing it. Every day we decry the state of our under-performing education system, ignoring the one area where we can easily make dramatic improvements – the school facilities themselves.
Green My School – now Green My Parents – check it out!
- Tom Feegel, Creator of Green My Parents
Tom introduced this newest endeavor, in collaboration with the Center for Green Schools – Green My School. This book, much like Green My Parents, will engage, educate and empower youth to play leadership roles in the transition to a sustainable and more intelligent way of living, through the implementation of a leading branded media platform. The book and coordinating web resources will give young people the tools and information they need to implement effective green programs in their schools and communities.
For more information on how you and the young people you know can contribute, contact Tom at tom@greenmyparents.com; 310.913.8536
Green Education Foundation’s Sustainability Education Clearinghouse: The resource is live!
Visit www.greeneducationfoundation.org to explore and share the Sustainability Education Clearinghouse, where teachers can share and rate environmental curriculum resources
