'green school' - n. a school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money - The Center for Green Schools
About Green School
Greenrock is working to develop a "Green School Accreditation" Program for schools to adopt measures and best practices, including ways to reduce energy and waste consumption, using environmentally-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products and implementing indoor air-quality measures.
Currently, a pilot project with Elliot Primary – launched in 2010 - is underway to help us develop a Green School template to apply to the "Green School Accreditation" Program.
The Need
According to the U.S.'s Coalition for Green Schools, promoting the design and construction of new green schools and greening existing public schools can make a tremendous impact on improving student performance and health, while decreasing operational costs and protecting the environment.
Characteristics of a Green School include:
- Conserves energy and natural resources
- Saves money
- Conserves water and decreases the burden on waste-water treatment
- Improves indoor air quality
- Removes toxic materials from places where children learn and play
- Employs day-lighting strategies and improves classroom acoustics
- Employs sustainable purchasing and green cleaning practices
- Improves environmental literacy in students
- Encourages waste management efforts to benefit the local community and region
- Encourages recycling
- Promotes habitat protection
- Reduces demand on local landfills
Our Approach
We have consulted with various community stakeholders and experts on ways for a school to go green. In 2010, a Green School Team was formed after Greenrock partnered with the Ministry of Education and Department of Energy to introduce a whole host of eco-friendly plans and projects.
Pilot project: Elliot Primary has served as a pilot for the Green School Program to provide a platform for Greenrock to develop a template for other schools to adopt in future.
Our approach in working with Elliot Primary is sectioned into three components, each with its own team of experts, as follows:
- Growing Up Green - to teach students to accept individual responsibility linked to the environment and sustainable living. Children will be part of the decision-making process to make them responsible for their own actions.
- Curriculum - to adapt to "connect students to the environment." The "environmental content" of all lessons will be increased.
- Facilities - environmental impact of the school building and grounds will be reduced to create a healthier environment. Making use of natural light is said to make it more comfortable for students to learn and improving the quality of inside air will cut down on sick days.
The Green School team members for the Elliot Primary pilot project are:
- Dr. Judith Landsberg (Greenrock) — background in education, project management and physics
- Eimeir Johnston (OBMI Architects) — LEED AP, interior designer and project manager, BSID member
- Kirsteen White (OBMI Architects) — LEED AP, interior designer and project manager, BSID member
- Selange Gitschner (Hiscox) — LEED AP, interior designer and project manager, BSID member
- Denaye Hinds (OBMI Architects) — Director of Sustainability, former Government environment engineer and consultant
- Sakeena Talbot — Elliot Primary PTA, Office manager at Victoria Place (a LEED certified building)
Contact
For more information about our Green School program, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
