Nationwide 4.4 percent of schools have a solar installation and nearly 3.9 million students attend one of these schools, according to the latest report from the Solar Foundation. Since 2014, the amount of solar installed at schools has nearly doubled, totaling 910 megawatts (MWs) of capacity across 5,489 K-12 schools in the United States. This growth demonstrates increasing engagement in the massive potential solar has to help schools save on energy bills, reduce overhead costs and free up cash in annual operating budgets.

But for schools, going solar means more than just money saved. In addition to economic benefits, solar enables a range of educational and social opportunities for the school and surrounding community.

First though, because they are significant and typically the initial selling point, it’s important to explore the economic benefits that schools can expect from solar. Reducing energy costs is the main bullet point in a school’s argument to go solar. Whether a school decides to put solar on its buildings to consume directly, off-set its electricity use with clean energy through virtual net metering or community solar or do a combination of the two – the school should anticipate a significant reduction in energy costs, either by directly consuming the power its systems produce, or by selling the solar power to the grid to cancel out some of its costs. To give a recent example, Pine River-Backus and Pequot Lakes school districts in Minnesota announced that its initial savings estimates of $20,000 – $25,000 a year were conservative for its 1.5 MW portfolio of on-site solar systems.

The stabilization of energy prices over time is another major bonus. Now that school systems are able to sign power purchase agreements (PPAs), or energy contracts with a developer, schools have the opportunity to not only deflect most or all of the upfront costs of installing a solar system, they can also lock in energy prices through long-term contracts for up to 15-20 years at a time, avoiding volatility in retail prices over time. Through a PPA, the school pays the developer or independent power producer for energy consumed, at a rate that’s typically less than what a utility would charge. The developer funds the solar system based on those revenues and can monetize federal tax credits, while the school skirts upfront costs and pays a reduced and reliable electrical bill. Schools considering a PPA should work with an experienced independent power producer that will also take care of system design, finance and long-term operation.

Both cost savings and stability equate to significant benefits effecting a school’s bottom line. The U.S. Department of Energy’s EnergySmart Schools report shows that, at more than $8 billion spent each year, energy costs represent the highest expense for K-12 schools, after personnel costs. Because schools typically operate under fixed budgets, cutting energy costs can free up space in the budget for more teachers, educational materials, extracurricular programs and more.

But direct economic benefits aren’t the only important advantages for schools to consider. These days, it’s hard to find an educational institution without students that are advocating for pro-environmental action, whether to elected officials for policy changes or to school leaders for implementation. It’s clear that sustainability is a priority for students, from the east to the west, and from the elementary to university level. Solar gives schools a way to take action toward their students’ values while securing a strong differentiator. For students and guardians making decisions about schools, solar can set apart schools that show credible commitment to renewable energy and green values from those that don’t.

Additionally, solar offers schools endless on-site career-prep and training opportunities for students at every grade and income level. During construction, schools have the unique chance to invite developers, contractors, financiers, engineers and even marketeers to the classroom to give guest lectures or discuss career paths, creating visibility and networking advantages in one of the fastest growing job industries in the United States. The National Solar Jobs Census shows that solar jobs will increase 7 percent in 2019, bringing the total to 259,400 jobs. What’s more, career prep programs like these can appeal to the increasing number of students considering trade schools or programs that prioritize hands-on learning.

Some schools have teamed up with their developer to design solar curriculum and class projects to accompany new solar systems. Other schools have turned the operations and maintenance of their solar systems into class projects or student jobs by asking students to monitor kilowatt hours produced and calculate carbon emissions deflected. St. Olaf College in Minnesota designed a semester long class, co-taught by an Environmental Studies professor and the school’s Facility Manager, to accompany a new solar array. Students in the class learned how to use Helioscope, a solar design software, to design the school’s new solar system, and then were invited to stay on campus as summer interns to work with contractors to oversee and support the construction of their designs.

Solar systems also offer unique points of engagement for outside community members. Schools can work with their developers to set up on-site kiosks during construction to talk about solar energy to passersby and informational webpages dedicated to sharing project updates and monitoring energy output. By partnering with developers that offer long-term operations and maintenance, schools can establish collaborative, creative programs to increase awareness, like constructing school gardens near ground-mount systems, offering a chance for students and community to regularly harvest crops and learn about solar energy. Take Susquehanna University’s Center for Environmental Education and Research for a creative example – the university uses its ground mount solar array to produce 30 percent of its campus’ energy needs and uses the 14-acres of grass beneath it to feed the college’s herd of sheep.

The number and variety of benefits that solar creates for schools begs the question – Why aren’t there more solar systems on schools? “Going solar” is an easy statement to make, but implementing projects involves collaborative decision making between school officials and the solar experts they trust to build the assets. Schools looking to add solar to their mix of energy resources can start the process by understanding how much energy their buildings consume, how their electric bills are paid, where their electrical meters are located and who would be part of the decision-making process. Most importantly, they should work with an independent power producer that has the experience and resources necessary to not only simplify the process, but also find creative ways to help its school partner go beyond maximizing economic returns and optimize new educational and engagement opportunities.

Schools are going solar to not only save on operational costs, but also to increase climate resiliency of educational institutions, provide new learning opportunities in critical, in-demand STEM subjects and build awareness of renewable energy in surrounding communities. Already, schools that have gone solar are offsetting about 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Just imagine how more solar on schools could reduce carbon emissions and advance the renewable economy, all while empowering future leaders to be part of a meaningful, emerging industry.

Jonathan Roberts serves as VP of Midwest Development at Soltage.

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Early in April, 1,000 attendees gathered in St. Paul, Minn., to celebrate the role of schools in fostering the next generation of sustainability leaders at the Green Schools Conference & Expo. The event, which is produced by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), offered two days of educational sessions, case studies, hands-on workshops and lectures from today’s green school experts. For those that missed it, here are the top three highlights from the show:

 USGBC unveils new program for teaching STEM in K12 schools

The Building Learners program is equipped with standards-aligned lessons about sustainability and a state-of-the-art online building management dashboard. It brings together a core team of school facilities personnel, educators and volunteer green building professionals to engage students in real-world energy, water, waste, transportation and environmental health investigations of their school.

Teachers, administrators and facility managers can get started for free now. Schools can also “claim” their buildings to start using the digital dashboard for tracking sustainability performance.

The program builds on a previous beta program that was conducted with a handful of schools and districts across the nation using the digital benchmarking tool Arc. There are currently more than 110 schools using Arc to measure and teach school sustainability.

First student-led LEED v4.1 project in Minnesota achieves LEED Gold

Students and alumni of the School of Environmental Studies in Apple Valley, Minnesota, celebrated the LEED certification of their school building with a plaque ceremony during the Opening Plenary. A cohort of 45 students led a multi-year effort, with the assistance of 25 local green building professionals. This is the first certified LEED v4.1 project to be driven by students in the state.

“The project overall has given a voice to students, inspiring advocacy and action,” said Kimberly Lewis, senior vice president at USGBC, during the ceremony. “They are truly a shining beacon of what’s possible when you let students take the lead.”

Best of Green Schools, Green Apple Day of Service Award Winners Announced

For the second year in a row, winners of the 2019 Best of Green Schools and Green Apple Day of Service awards were recognized onstage during conference proceedings.

 The Best of Green Schools Awards represent the best environmental efforts in schools across the country and highlight national leaders in school sustainability. They are co-presented by USGBC’s Center for Green Schools and the Green Schools National Network.

“These honorees truly embody the value of stewardship,” said Anisa Heming, director, Center for Green Schools at USGBC in a release. “The work they have done to advance environmental literacy and the quality of the spaces where learning takes place, is so impactful. Youth everywhere are inspiring what the future of our world should look like and we are committed to supporting them in that effort.”

Best of Green Schools honorees include:

• Ambassador Award: Victoria Rydberg, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (Madison, Wisconsin)
• Business Leader Award: Gensler(Houston, Texas)
• Collaborator Award: Green Schools Recognition Program, Florida Atlantic University (West Palm Beach, Florida)
• Higher Education Institution Award: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Environmental Studies Program(Lincoln, Nebraska)
• K12 School Award: Green Street Academy(Baltimore, Maryland)
• School System Award: South San Francisco School District(South San Francisco, California)
• Student Leader Award: Ella Culton, The Greene School(West Greenwich, Rhode Island)
• Transformation Award: New Roots Charter School(Ithaca, New York)
• Policymaker Award: Karen Alarid, Albuquerque Public Schools (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

The Green Apple Day of Service Awards recognize outstanding K12 sustainability service learning projects and leaders. The winners are:

• Deep Impact Award: Guatemala Green Apple Day – ABC Project (Guatemala City, Guatemala)

• Creative Approach Award: Tilling the Common Ground (New Haven, Connecticut)

• Broad Engagement Award: Drop After Drop, Let’s Fill Up the Reservoir of Life! (Rome, Chieti and Pescara, Italy)

 The location of the 2020 Green Schools Conference and call for proposals will be announced soon. Learn more at greenschoolsconference.org.

Amanda Sawit serves as the Communications Manager for the USGBC.

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The annual Green Schools Conference & Expo (GSCE), the nation’s premier event for the green schools movement, and the annual IMPACT regional conference, the largest green building conference in the Midwest, are co-locating for two days in St. Paul, Minnesota. GSCE is committed to advancing sustainable schools for all and will bring together some of the industry’s top green school leaders, while IMPACT attracts building professionals and sustainability leaders from across the Midwest. Both conferences will include inspiring keynotes, immersive education sessions and informative workshops on the latest strategies and trends that support a sustainable transformation of the region’s schools, commercial and residential buildings and more.

In the Twin Cities, buildings are a significant factor in meeting climate action goals and at one time were the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Minneapolis. Green buildings, like those that are LEED certified, help reduce GHGs, conserve water and provide people with better air quality and access to nature. In Minnesota, there are more than 450 LEED-certified commercial buildings and a workforce that includes nearly 3,000 LEED professionals.

When:

Monday, April 8, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Includes the GSCE Plenary, the expo hall opening, education sessions and the Women in Green Power Hour

Tuesday, April 9, 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Includes joint plenary, expo hall and education sessions

Where:

St. Paul RiverCentre, 175 West Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102

Who:

Emmanuel Pratt, executive director of the Sweet Water Foundation, will provide the keynote at the GSCE plenary.

Zaria Forman, renowned climate change artist, whose mammoth works of art depict the grandeur of our natural environment, will provide the keynote at the joint conference plenary.

David Bluestone, founder and partner of ClearPath Strategies, will discuss new wide-reaching research that is informing us about attitudes and behaviors toward green building and sustainability.

Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC and GBCI, will discuss USGBC’s Living Standard campaign and the work we are doing to create a universal living standard for all.

Tara Kulkarni, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Norwich University, will be the featured speaker at the Women in Green Power Hour.

Green building leaders, architects, engineers, developers, school administrators, students, and people who lead, operate, build and teach in U.S. schools.

For a full list of programming visit impact.usgbc.org and greenschoolsconference.org.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The Green Schools Conference & Expo (GSCE) is the largest annual conference and expo for green school advocates in the U.S. GSCE is the only national event to bring together all the players involved in making green schools a reality: people who lead, operate, build and teach in U.S. schools. It’s hosted by the Center for Green Schools at USGBC and produced in partnership with the Green Schools National Network. For more information, visit greenschoolsconference.org, connect on Twitter and Facebook, and follow the hashtag #GSCE19.

Expanding its reach throughout the Midwest, USGBC’s annual IMPACT conference attracts hundreds of green building professionals from across the region, and serves as a forum for builders, developers, sustainability leaders and change makers to unite and demonstrate the many innovative ways the Midwest is raising the bar when it comes to green building. The USGBC communities of the Central Plains, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri Gateway, Nebraska Flatwater, North Dakota and Wisconsin collaborate together to host the conference.

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GREENSBORO, N.C. — UNC Greensboro recently announced that it is moving forward with the construction of a new and sustainable Nursing and Instructional building.

LS3P Associates Ltd. is the Architect-of-Record and SmithGroupJJR is the Design Architect on the project.

Set to make its debut in spring of 2020, UNCG’s Nursing and Instructional Building project includes the demolition of the McIver Building and construction of a new four-story facility that will house the School of Nursing which is currently located in four buildings.

The facility will also provide teaching and flexible laboratory research space for the School of Health and Human Sciences and the Departments of Biology and Chemistry, in addition to providing more space for the School of Nursing, .

In addition to housing 39 labs, 14 classrooms, nine research suites and a community engagement center, the 180,000-square-foot facility is said to be a shining example of sustainable building and design with UNCG currently pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification or higher for the project.

Charlotte-based Rodgers Builders, Inc. is providing construction management, preconstruction, and virtual construction services for the project. Construction includes three components that include demolition of the existing McIver Building, construction of the new Nursing and Instructional building, and construction of the South Chiller Plant, providing capacity for the new building and enhancing reliability of the campus chilled water system.

Builders and designers are now working to incorporate a number of cost-effective and innovative elements that will support the environment as well as health and wellness.

One element includes bioretention and water management. The new building will have a bioretention system, where contaminants and sedimentation will be removed from stormwater runoff. Designers also employed biophilic methods, designing with materials, colors and light in a way that connects people with nature.

Chris Roberts, principal and studio leader at LS3P Associates Ltd., calls it “bringing the outdoors in.”

The building was strategically laid out to avoid critical root zones in existing trees. It’s five-story atrium runs down the middle of the building, creating a lively, open space with natural light and a main staircase, and pedestrian pathways and vegetated pathways located outside of the energy-efficient building.

“A lab building is an energy hog,” said Roberts. “The fact that this building will have labs and classrooms and still be one of the better energy-performing buildings on campus is a big deal.”

Additional eco-friendly features of the new Nursing and Instructional building include:

• Peak energy output from the Photovoltaic panels on the roof that is expected to be only 1 to 2 percent over a year
• Energy-efficiency: LED lights that will be installed throughout the building
• Heat recovery: Exhaust air will preheat unconditioned air entering the building
• Material reuse: Catalpa trees from the McIver Building site were salvaged, milled and treated and will be built into the outdoor classroom
• Vegetated roof: Portions of a roof patio will include natural planted areas to reduce solar heat gain and pre-treat water runoff
• Low-slope high albedo roof design: to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than traditional dark-colored roofs
• Roof pavers: made of recycled materials

“We love to try to incorporate these things but are rarely able to,” said Roberts. “It’s exciting to see so many interventions within one project. I applaud UNCG for such a strong focus on sustainability, and they really embraced these ideas throughout the design.”

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LEXINGTON, Ga. – In May, ABM launched an Energy Performance Contracting program for Oglethorpe County Schools in Lexington, with a tailored solution to help generate savings on energy costs and contribute to facility upgrades throughout the county’s school system.

The program is built to provide these facility additions and improvements with no upfront costs, with a projection of more than $9.4 million in energy and operating costs throughout a 20-year period. Now, ABM is bringing this program to another Georgia county.

In June, ABM announced the initiation of an Energy Performance Contracting program for Lowndes County Schools, which is projected to save their schools more than $13.6 million in energy and operating costs over a 15-year period, which the county will use for facility upgrades and funding toward building a new high school.

These energy and operations savings will be accomplished by implementing lighting, HVAC and control upgrades at each of the school system’s facilities. The upgrades are estimated to save Lowndes County Schools approximately $800,000 in energy and operating costs in the first year, which will progress during the lifespan of the program, resulting in the $13.6 million total savings.

“ABM’s Energy Performance Contracting program will help Lowndes County School System recognize its facilities can be functioning more efficiently and create a significant savings, while improving their students’ educational environment,” Mark Newsome, president of ABM Technical Solutions, said in a statement. “By leveraging guaranteed energy and operational savings of ABM’s program, Lowndes County School System will be able to put more funding toward new construction, while upgrading their existing facilities.”

According to the statement, infrastructure at seven of Lowndes County School System’s facilities is aging or coming to the end of its lifespan. Furthermore, the school system plans to demolish and rebuild half of Lowndes High School. The project will allow the school system to distribute additional funding to the high school project, while using the ensured energy savings to fund the other facilities’ upgrades.

The overall upgrades will include retrofitting lighting systems to energy-efficient LED lighting at five of the county’s schools, the Parker Mathis Learning Center, the Board of Education and the bus shop and maintenance buildings. HVAC units at seven different facilities will be rejuvenated and also controlled by state-of-the-art HVAC control systems to maximize energy and operational efficiency. Additionally, refrigeration management programs and high-efficiency hand dryers will be installed at six of the school system’s buildings, along with upgrading ventilation systems at Lowndes County High School and Hahira Middle School.

Ray Jordan, education specialist for ABM explained what energy performance contracting programs mean for schools in the future.

“This program allows school systems to cash flow immediate infrastructure needs with future energy and operational savings. The savings are guaranteed for the life of the program,” said Jordan. “Energy-efficient enhancements can include water conservation systems and hand dryers to help reduce utility costs and product spend, such as paper towels. As technology improves and energy conservation measures increase savings opportunities, more school systems are able to implement these types of programs. Providers that offer energy performance contracting solutions, such as ABM, can help school districts implement similar programs.”

The project launched in June 2018, and is slated for completion in June 2019.

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Yes, yes and yes thanks to an ambitious effort to further sustainability efforts in New York City and it’s NYC Zero Waste Challenge, an initiative from the NYC Mayor’s Office that encourages waste-generating businesses to strive to reach zero waste to landfill and incineration. The New School, a progressive university with its main campus in New York City, has constructed a 16-story LEED Gold–certified University Center (UC). To date, the center is the only college or university to participate in the the NYC Zero Waste Challenge.

The center first opened in January 2014 and was then one of the most green-friendly academic institutions in the nation. Two years later, the NYC Mayor’s Office invited The New School to participate in its Zero Waste Challenge.

“Achieving the city’s ambitious climate change agenda will require meeting our zero waste goals. The Zero Waste Challenge has proven to be a successful way to highlight effective actions to reduce waste, diverting over 36,000 tons of waste. This should inspire every New Yorker to do their part and commit to sending zero waste to landfill,” said Daniel Zarrilli, senior director for Climate Policy and Programs and Chief Resilience Officer for the Office of the Mayor, in a statement issued when the challenge was first issued.

As part of the challenge, The New School contributed data and other valuable feedback to the city, documenting its experience as a multibuilding campus and the vicissitudes of its various waste streams, according to a post on The University Network blog.

The university has also retrofitted signs on campus disposal receptacles that better identify where recyclables, compostables and materials intended for the landfill should be tossed. Additionally, the university launched a program dubbed “Good As New,” which is a “a reuse and waste reduction initiative that encourages all New School students to donate reusable school supplies and materials at the end of each semester so that these items stay out of landfills and can be used by other students in the future,” according to the school’s website.

In all, the UC enjoys about 360,000 square feet of floor space, which includes classrooms, a cafeteria and a cafe in addition to a 600-student residence hall and a 800-seat auditorium. It boasts smart lighting and climate systems throughout, a cogeneration plant and is topped by a green roof. The university’s investments are also green, as it entirely divested from fossil fuels, which required shedding all related investments, stocks and bonds.

The New School will also deepen its green-themed efforts this-coming May 2018 when the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School will partner with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives in hosting the Design, Justice, and Zero Waste Conference and Research Collaborative. The goal of the partnership is to address the impact of production, consumption and waste on environmental justice communities, workers and vulnerable populations.

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Through a variety of workshops and leadership training, the venture seeks to foment sustainable communities by criss-crossing the nation in a 250-square-foot movable feast for the mind in the form of a classroom forged from a decommissioned school bus.

The bus is currently under construction, and is the brainchild of Founder and President Chava Erica Tzemach, an educator and activist with nearly a decade of nonprofit experience. The vision is to have an off-grid, fully functioning, sustainable home that features solar energy, a composting toilet, a green roof and insulation made of sheep’s wool. The bus, originally a 2001 Blue Bird School bus, will also run on waste vegetable oil, according to a profile in the Boulder Jewish News. Tzemach’s hope is to launch the project in Spring 2018 after raising $30,000 in the next 45 days (contributions can be made at a recently launched GoFundMe campaign).

Tzemach is currently working towards becoming a Certified Master Environmental Educator through the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, a partnership between environmental education providers and supporters who are working together to advance environmental literacy.

“It is Sustainable Skoolie Adventure’s mission to increase public awareness of environmental issues and catalyze communities to act, turning knowledge into tangible actions that promote long-lasting sustainable practices in the daily activities of individuals, institutions and businesses,” reads the organization’s mission statement, which emphasizes values of earth stewardship, education and empowerment, among other tenets.

Tzemach is presently seeking sponsorships for the Sustainable Skoolie Adventure from both individuals and corporations interested in sustainability and education. 

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Washington State University North Puget Sound at Everett recently completed the new Everett University Center. The new academic building will serve as an engineering and STEM facility, and is seeking LEED Gold certification. SRG Partnership was the architect on the project, with Hoffman Construction serving as the general contractor; both companies have offices in Seattle. McKinstry (also of Seattle) was the engineering firm on the project and was responsible for implementing the energy and water conservation measures into the 95,000-square-foot facility. The project had a budget of $65 million, and the building was completed in May 2017 after three years of construction. Read more

Smart Design Principles Boost Productivity & Sustainability

As times and technology change, so do students’ needs. When faced with rising financial pressures and students’ changing preferences, colleges and universities continue to look for new ways to reduce operating costs while continuing to improve the educational experience. To do so, architects and designers face these design challenges head on, ultimately creating new trends and principles for sustainable institutions. Schools and universities continue to implement more flexible spaces that can be used either for quiet individual studying or collaborative group projects. Read more

Emerging School Restroom Trends Help Ensure Transgender Student Safety

For decades, the school restroom was mythologized in popular culture as an ersatz meeting place or den of low-end inequity — consider the Fonz entreating his male interlocutors to “step into my office” or Mötley Crüe’s cover of “Smokin’ in the Boy’s Room.” These days, the school restroom is also terra incognita when it comes to challenges facing transgender students and the socio-political debate that surrounds them. The issue became particularly divisive in April 2016 when, under President Barack Obama, the Department of Education pressed a handful of contentious school districts to permit transgender students the use of bathrooms of the gender with which they identify. Read more

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