Green Schools Campaign

The Green Schools campaign is one of four focus areas of DVGBC’s strategic plan. Research and experience shows that healthy, high performing buildings support healthy, high performing students. Our main short-term goals are to 1) encourage every K-12 school in our region to measure and track their energy use and 2) to catalog and share the green practices and resources to and from schools around the region.

We hope that by 2013, 25% of all schools in our region will have benchmarked their energy use and 25% of schools will have implemented and shared a green practice.

We will do this by working with students, facilities managers, teachers and administrators as schools, and our own staff and volunteers, and civic leadership in the following areas:

• Supporting US EPA’s EnergyStar Portfolio Manager training for schools facilities managers and others
• Collecting and sharing operating savings and other green school stories through workshops, media, etc.
• Providing energy conservation pilot programs in selected schools
• Supporting application to the Green Ribbon School program
• Educating elected officials and others about the value of green practices in K-12 schools

For more information, click on the links below:

Why Green Schools?
What are we doing?
How can YOU get involved?
    As a school
    As a volunteer
Useful Links
Grants and Financing
Green School Examples in Our Region

Why Green Schools?

Every day in the US, approximately 20% of the population goes to school—that’s 60 million people. Building and maintaining these schools represents the largest construction sector in the US, and billions of dollars per year in operating costs. Green schools are buildings that provide a healthy learning environment for students and teachers while saving energy and resources. On average, a green school saves over $100,000 annually in operating costs, and studies have shown that student achievement is higher at green schools.

DVGBC’s Green Schools Campaign was developed to work with the 1,171 schools in our region to lower operating costs and create healthy learning environments. Available data suggests that just 10% of the schools in our region regularly measure their energy use and costs, even though energy is the highest school expenditure after personnel. We aim to address these issues by engaging stakeholders to measure energy use, educating them about energy efficient practices, and advocating for policies and funding mechanisms to finance green building practices.

What are we doing?

Currently, DVGBC and its volunteers are supporting schools in our region, providing access to green resources, such as EnergyStar Portfolio Manager, Green Ribbon Schools, and USGBC’s Center for Green Schools.

Advocacy Day 2012
In January 2012, DVGBC members went to Harrisburg to advocate for green building and green schools. Students, teachers, administrators and facilities managers from five schools around the Commonwealth displayed information in the rotunda, educating lawmakers on how they’ve benefited from going green.

School District of Philadelphia Pilot Program
In November 2011, DVGBC was awarded a grant from the William Penn Foundation to work with 3-5 schools in the School District of Philadelphia to measure energy use and develop and implement a student-led energy conservation program. Rolling out this year, DVGBC is currently in the process of organizing teams at chosen schools and developing a curriculum for this pilot program.

Green Schools Catalog
The many green schools and green school projects throughout our region are a well-kept secret. Our goal is to change this! We will collect and disseminate green school stories through our website, media, newsletters and workshops. See below for how you can get involved.

How can YOU get involved?

As a school:

DVGBC “Green Our School” Initiative
Interested schools pledge to benchmark their energy use for a period of time (Feb 15-May18) and implement at least one other “green” activity, like starting a green purchasing program. Pledge participants will receive a certificate and recognition from DVGBC, and will qualify for a mini-grant program to support green school activities.

DVGBC Green Schools Profile
By filling out this survey, schools in our region can share their green stories with us. Did your school plant a vegetable garden that helps supply the cafeteria? Did your facilities manager drastically cut costs by implementing green practices? Share your accomplishments here!

Green Ribbon Schools
This federal program will recognize schools “that save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement.” Does your school fit this profile? The Pennsylvania application is due February 23, 2012. The Delaware application is due March 1, 2012. 

Green Apple Day of Service
On September 29, 2012, the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council will host the first ever International Green Schools Day of Service. For one day, green school advocates from across the country and around the world, will come together in support of green schools by taking real action in their communities. Click here to pledge your support, connect with USGBC Chapters and USGBC Students who are already taking action and find a project near you.

Green Classroom Professional Certificate Program
The Green Classroom Professional certificate is to provide teachers, administrators, and other pre-K-12 stakeholders with the knowledge and skills to make their classrooms more environmentally healthy and resource efficient, as well as teach them practices that promote health among students and school occupants.

As a volunteer:

DVGBC Green Schools Circle
This committee meets the 4^th Wednesday of every month and is actively involved with all aspects of the Green Schools Campaign, including recruiting schools and acting as liaisons. Contact Janet Milkman at jmilkman@dvgbc.org or sign up through our website. You must be a member to join.

Share your stories!
Our Green Schools Profile is not just for schools to fill out—you can as well! Do you know of a school in our region that has benefited from green practices? Share their story here.

Have your local school sign the DVGBC “Green Your School” Pledge
Think your school could profit from benchmarking their energy use? Send them this form and encourage them to sign!

Useful Links
EnergyStar
Green Schools Resource Project
Pathways to Green Schools
Center for Green Schools
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Delaware Department of Education

Grants and Financing
Recyclebank Green Schools Program
Coca-Cola Bin Grant Program
PECO Smart Equipment Incentives
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency
Alternative Energy Funding for PA
TRF's Building Energy Loans
Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority Grant
PADEP Growing Greener Grant
PADEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program
PA Qualified School Construction Bond Program
PA Pathways to Green Schools Incentives
American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic Indoor Air Quality Grant
PADEP Recycling Program Development and Implementation Grants