Taking a Look at the State of Our Nation’s Schools

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Everywhere I go, I see schools falling apart. On my way to work in D.C., I pass schools with broken windows and crumbling bricks. In the Bronx, I’ve been inside schools where only one out of four bathroom stalls is even remotely usable. In Georgia, I’ve met students and teachers forced to take time away from the classroom to treat headaches and asthma attacks. In my capacity as the director of the Center for Green Schools, I’ve visited schools in more than 27 states. I know that our schools are in desperate need of repair.

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“2013 State of Our Schools” Report from the Center for Green Schools at USGBC Calls for Immediate Examination of America’s School Facilities

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 12, 2013) –The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today released its first “State of our Schools” report, highlighting the critical need to modernize school facilities to meet current health, safety and educational standards.

The report, featuring a foreword by former President Bill Clinton, states that schools are currently facing a $271 billion deferred maintenance bill just to bring the buildings up to working order – approximately $5,450 per student.

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Friday Roundup: Green Property Indexes, a LEED Hospital, Net-Zero Retail Space

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LEED Platinum Dell Children's Medical Center. Credit: rutlo via Flickr

Here’s our weekly collection of green building clips:

Coming soon: Sustainability ratings for real estate investments, GreenBiz. This article highlights the collaborative effort among USGBC, the FTSE Group and NAREIT to create a new family of green property indexes for institutional and retail investors, due to launch at the end of March.

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Highlighting the Growth of the Green Building Industry in State Capitols Across the Country

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Texas State Capital, photo credit: Kumar Appaiah via Flikr

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Higher performing, healthier LEED-Certified buildings are becoming the market norm, increasingly demanded by owners and tenants alike. Did policy play a role in this growth? At the state and local levels, the answer is ‘yes.’

States and localities are embracing energy efficiency building policies, adopting rating systems like LEED for public building construction, and incentivizing better building practices in the private sector. The support of USGBC’s network of chapters and advocates has helped guide and prompt good policy making in a variety of ways.

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Highlighting the Growth of the Green Building Industry in State Capitols Across the County

Feature image: 
Texas State Capital, photo credit: Kumar Appaiah via Flikr

Slideshow images: 

Higher performing, healthier LEED-Certified buildings are becoming the market norm, increasingly demanded by owners and tenants alike. Did policy play a role in this growth? At the state and local levels, the answer is ‘yes.’

States and localities are embracing energy efficiency building policies, adopting rating systems like LEED for public building construction, and incentivizing better building practices in the private sector. The support of USGBC’s network of chapters and advocates has helped guide and prompt good policy making in a variety of ways.

read more

‘Greenest Student on Earth’ Scholarship Competition Launches Today

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The USGBC Center for Green School’s 2012 “Greenest School on Earth,” Green Schoo

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The following is a guest post by Kaia Roman, International Communications Manager, Green School Bali

As the inaugural recipient of the USGBC Center for Green School’s ‘Greenest School on Earth’ award in 2012, Green School Bali launched a worldwide scholarship competition today seeking the ‘Greenest Student on Earth.‘ Exceptional young people who are working on environmental projects in their local communities are encouraged to apply.

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