Resources

Use this powerpoint and speaker notes to give an overview of the Center for Green Schools' work to your school, district, or colleagues; or review it yourself to better understand our work and how we can support your green school initiatives.

This powerpoint presentation is intended for use by green school supporters and advocates. It can be used to communicate the importance of green schools, why they matter, and what is included in a vision for green schools. The presentation includes speaker notes.

The Sharing the Table Roadmap addresses the food waste problem in schools through a simple approach of creating and implementing food waste reduction and recovery programs. Food waste can be dramatically reduced and surplus food can be provided to feed the community, through well designed surplus food reduction and recovery programs. These programs function with two main goals: (1) to reduce the amount of food waste created by school meals and (2) to recover perfectly good surplus food to feed those in need in the community.

Earn continuing education hours by reading this report on Education @USGBC.

This toolkit is designed to help green schools allies address sustainability issues and impact greener policies at the school district level.

The Green Schools National Network brings us the Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly (GSCQ), the only peer reviewed, high interest digital magazine that highlights evidence-based practices for replication in green, healthy, sustainable schools. GSCQ explores issues in-depth, including qualitative and quantitative research, and includes columns that report on and explore emergent issues.

Building on the 2016 State of Our Schools report, the Planning for PK-12 Infrastructure Initiative (P4si Initiative) formulated a systems-based plan to address the structural problems of inequitable and inadequate school facilities.

Six national cross-sector working groups organized around basic elements of a well-managed facilities program: Data and Information, Educational Facilities Planning, Management, Funding, Governance and Decision Making, and Accountability, came together for this initiative and developed a menu of solutions to guide school funding and infrastructure at the federal, state and local levels. Published in March 2017, the Adequate & Equitable U.S. PK-12 Infrastructure: Priority Actions for Systemic Reform report presents the working groups’ recommended priority action items, which are intended to build and sustain high-performance public PK-12 facilities for all children.

Adequate & Equitable U.S. PK-12 Infrastructure: Priority Actions for Systemic Reform is a joint publication of the 21st Century School Fund, the National Council on School Facilities, The Center for Cities + Schools and the U.S. Green Building Council.

Download our info sheet to see how LEED certification makes school buildings healthier, more productive places for students and staff.

A how-to guide for planning and conducting in-person Green Classroom Professional workshops

Learning Lab is your one-stop shop for leading-edge classroom sustainability materials. Equipping and engaging educators with the right resources and preparation means students are more likely to understand the interdependence of economic, environmental, and social systems and to be empowered as global citizens.

Green Apple Day of Service inspires schools and communities to learn about sustainabilty and take action to green their school building and grounds.

The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) recognition award honors schools, districts, and Institutions of Higher Education that are leading the way in the green schools movement. This resources offers an overview of the award and application process, as well as resource recommendations to get started.

In June 2013, the Center for Green Schools at USGBC and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt brought together stakeholders from academic, corporate, and nonprofit sectors to envision a future where our schools support thriving, healthy, and regenerative communities. Participants agreed on a shared vision where all students graduate educated for a sustainable future through the integration of the environment, economy, and equity, with the ability to apply systems thinking to problem solving and decision making by 2040. Fifteen subject matter experts undertook the task of recommending key actions that, collectively, outline a pathway to achieve our ambitious goal. This National Action Plan for Educating for Sustainability intends to propel efforts to affect policies and practices through collaboration, alignment, and large-scale implementation.

Earn continuing education hours by reading this action plan report on [email protected].

"Powering Down: Behavior-Based Energy Conservation in K-12 Schools," follows the experiences of five public schools that have reduced electricity use by an astonishing 20 to 37 percent through behavior-based strategies alone. The paper, which was written with lead author Kate Crosby, looks to these schools as models for others and examines common strategies for every school to reduce its energy usage.

Earn continuing education hours by reading this report on [email protected].

The Whole School Sustainability Framework was produced through years of research by the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University and was produced and published by the Center for Green Schools. It Illustrates how every school can establish the conditions necessary to support their journey toward sustainability. The framework is organized into three components of schools—organizational culture, physical place, and educational program—and is supported by literature and case studies from social science, business, education, and building sciences.

Earn continuing education hours by reading this report on [email protected].

Outlines a national action plan that mayors and local leaders can use as a framework to develop and implement green schools initiatives. The report also provides a comprehensive review of the benefits of green schools; a summary of local, state and federal policy solutions; leadership profiles of green school advocates; and case studies from both large cities and small communities. Together, these resources serve as a roadmap on the journey to green schools.

The Paid-From-Savings Guide to Green Existing Buildings is a guide to help building facilities managers and energy service companies (ESCOs) leverage utility cost savings to fund comprehensive green building retrofits. The resource provides detailed information on how to aggregate green improvement measures to optimize project economics and achieve LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance certification.

Jointly released with McGraw Hill Foundation, this paper is an accessible account of current research connecting school buildings with student health and performance. It also includes a summary of research needed and how individual groups (teachers and students, design professionals, government agencies, etc.) can help in the effort to draw connections between where students learn and their well being. Anyone who needs clear, defensible research to support the need for better, healthier classrooms will find the summary of research into how students breathe, see, hear, move and learn useful.

Earn continuing education hours by reading this research paper on [email protected].

The second in a series of research publications about sustainability professionals, this report summarizes the role and expectations for sustainability directors in K-12 school districts. Drawing from extensive surveys and interviews with the Center for Green Schools’ network of sustainability professionals, the research concludes with important lessons for those managing and performing in this role.

USGBC and the Center for Green Schools advocate on the federal level on behalf of healthier, greener school facilities and high-quality sustainability education for all children. This brief explains the priorities for our legislative advocacy in 2021.

Skokie, IL

The highest LEED rated aquatics center in the US, the Niles North High School Aquatics Center is 39,204 sf and achieved LEED Gold in December of 2014. This facility uses 44% less energy and 42% less water compared to a typical facility of similar size.

Encinitas, CA

This project on the campus of the Grauer School is 9,196 square feet and was certified Gold in April of 2017. The new building has solar panels, a highly efficient HVAC system, and increased green space. In addition, the school devotes a third of their 6-acre campus to wildlife, native habitats, and nature trails.

Cambridge, MA

Originally built in 1931, the newly renovated Cambridge Rindge school is 403,393 square feet and achieved LEED Gold in July of 2013. This 1,700-student school lowered their operating costs by $335,000 annually.

Chapel Hill, NC

Northside Elementary School in Chapel Hill, NC, is 99,500 square feet and was certified LEED Platinum in July of 2014. This new school, built on a site that has housed a school since 1924, incorporates storm water management strategies such as a rainwater cistern and pervious pavements.

Washington, DC

The first public high school for African Americans, the historic Dunbar Senior High School in Washington, DC was certified LEED Platinum in February of 2015. At 276,000 square feet, this school ties in its historic roots with elements such as a solar array and radiant flooring to save $250,000 in annual energy costs compared to the average DC public school.