Pennsylvania or Texas? Though those three are certainly out in front, you might be surprised to learn that the leader of the pack is Ohio. Last month I had the opportunity to provide the seven-member Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) – the body that oversees the public school building efforts in our state – with an update on the status of our Green Schools Program.
Blog
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Greener, More Cohesive, More Vibrant Neighborhoods: Apply Now For Sustainable Communities Grant
Do you know of a community planning a development project with an eye toward sustainability? Spread the word: A new program providing no-cost technical assistance to select communities could help to turn that vision into action, and the application is only open until Nov. 23, 6 p.m. PT.
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Campus Sustainability Community Grows Through STARS Program
The campus sustainability community continues to grow as colleges and universities aim to improve their green campus initiatives. Within this growth, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is serving as a professional home for those working on bringing environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient practices to campuses across the country. AASHE provides resources, support and professional development opportunities to faculty, staff, administrators and students looking to make these changes.
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USGBC and GBC Brasil Urge Governments to “Build the Green Economy from the Ground Up” with Submission to Rio +20 Conference
On Oct. 31, the U.S. Green Building Council and the Green Building Council Brasil submitted a joint position paper on sustainability in the built environment for consideration of governments around the world and the U.N. governing body heading up next year’s UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20.
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National Youth Policy Summit Students Present Energy-Usage Goals
Last week, eight students from the National Youth Policy Summit for National Energy Innovation visited with the Center for Green Schools staff members to give a presentation on policies that they created on environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient issues. The students presenting were from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax, Va. and Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Ala.
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14 Years Later, The Codes Begin to Follow Eisenberg’s Lead
Just yesterday, the International Code Council’s membership of code officials put the final touches on the 2012 version of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC). For David Eisenberg – Executive Director of the Development Center for Appropriate Technology (DCAT), former USGBC Board member, and long time chair of USGBC’s Codes Committee – it was a very clear culmination of a chapter in his life story, and the product of nearly two decades of work.
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Camellia Park Community Garden Opening
There is no better way to start the Halloween weekend than to celebrate the opening of a community garden. Saturday, Oct. 29 was a beautiful crisp fall morning at Camellia Basic Elementary School, where I had the honor of participating in the ribbon cutting event for the new community garden.
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Rachel Gutter’s “Essential Toronto” Interview at Greenbuild
At this year’s Greenbuild Conference & Expo, Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools, had the opportunity to be interviewed by GreenSource Magazine’s “Essential Toronto.” Rachel highlighted all the work that the Center has been doing, and the benefits green schools can provide. You can view her full interview below:
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Tools for Tracking Building Performance on College Campuses
Increasing utility costs and tightening budgets have led many colleges and universities across the country to rethink the way they manage their energy consumption. Take Western Michigan University for example: Their facilities team has installed 718 sub-meters across 151 campus buildings, allowing the team to closely measure, track and analyze their energy and water consumption on a building-by-building basis.
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Colorado Schools Awarded for Green Building Efforts
This year’s Colorado Sustainable Design Awards winners were three schools highlighted for their green building and design efforts. The award recognizes exemplary design in residential, civic and commercial properties, as well as interior design.