Provides information on how to create schools that provide better learning environments for students and teachers, cost less to operate, and help protect the environment. The guide is organized into three core sections. The first provides an overview and two interrelated discussions on what is a high performance school building and why are such schools valuable. The second provides a step-by-step process guide consisting of questions that decision-makers can ask their design team as a means of attaining the highest achievable levels of building performance. The third section offers 17, 2-page "briefs" that describe each of the key components of a high performance building. Each brief describes what the component is, why it is important for ensuring high performance, how it can be incorporated into the school's design, and how it influences other building components and systems. Sections four and five offer three case studies of high performance schools and a list of additional resources, respectively. 91p.

Covers "green" building awareness and practice across a variety of building types, with two specific chapters for higher education and K-12 education, respectively. These chapters interpret survey data reflecting awareness, implementation, willingness to pay for, and benefits of environmentally conscious buildings. In all categories, positive percentages from higher education were somewhat ahead of K-12. 60p.

Details construction market research into green building in the education construction sector. The research that the education sector is the fastest-growing market for green building. The study also found that: 1) The concern for "improved health and well-being" was the most critical social reason for driving education green building. 2) Fiscal advantages of green building, such as energy cost savings, are the major motivation behind the construction of green schools and universities. 3) Higher first costs are the primary challenge to building green in this sector. 4) Operational cost decreases resulting from green building are the most important trigger to faster adoption of green school building. 5) There is a strong need for access to and information on green building products, particularly those relating to improving health, such as reducing mold and indoor air pollutants. 6) The industry is calling for independent, third-party standards for green building products. Case studies of the "greening" of two K-12 schools and one university are included. 36p.

Examines the potential of environmentally-conscious school design for improving education. This book provides an assessment of the potential human health and performance benefits of improvements in the building envelope, indoor air quality, lighting, and acoustical quality. The report also presents an assessment of the overall building condition and student achievement, and offers an analysis of and recommendations for planning and maintaining green schools including research considerations. Includes 390 references. 180p.

Explores measured performance rates for absenteeism, learning outcomes, staff satisfaction and comfort, energy usage, and building operations at the 2006 AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects Award-winning Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, and other green education facilities. The presentation explains how daylighting, access to views, indoor air quality, and ventilation affect student and teacher performance; compares projected and actual performance; and demonstrates the tools available to evaluate performance. 65p.

Based on a study of 30 "green" schools, this reports reveals that building "green" would save an average school $100,000 each year - enough to hire two new additional full-time teachers. The report demonstrates that green schools (schools designed to be energy efficient, healthy and environmentally friendly) are also extremely cost-effective. Total financial benefits from green schools outweigh the costs 20 to 1. With over $35 billion dollars projected to be spent in 2007 on K-12 construction, the conclusions of this report have far-reaching implications for future school design. The report's methodology is detailed, numerous tables illustrate the data, and 89 references are included. 23p.

Reports on research indicating that high performance school buildings can deliver significant savings and increased performance including potentials for 5 percent increase in student test scores, 5 percent reduction in teacher turnover, 15 percent reduction in absenteeism, 25 percent reduction in energy use, 38 percent reduction in potable water use, 150 percent Return on Investment (ROI), 38 percent reduction in waste water production, 22 percent reduction in construction waste to the landfill, 1.5 million pounds reduction in CO2 emissions. The savings noted represent the lower end of the savings and performance improvements that are documented in the research studies cited in this report. 62p.

Presents the results of a survey of 665 senior executives concerning "green" building issues in both K-12 and higher educational facilities. Extremely large percentages of respondents from both fields valued "green buildings" highly for sustaining community image, attracting and retaining teachers, reduced student absenteeism, and student performance. Higher education executives also valued them for attracting students and research funding. Statistics representing the long-term cost benefits, obstacles to the construction of "green" facilities, and the adoption of green policies by educational institutions are displayed in numerous charts and graphs. 25p.

Illustrates design for passive seasonal heating, cooling, and daylighting that students can monitor as part of the learning program. 3p.

Recommends configuring school HVAC, solar hot water, photovoltaics, and daylighting systems so that they can be integrated into the curriculum. 2p.

Reports on an online survey of K-12 education professionals to assess opinions, perceptions, and actions regarding sustainable school buildings. The objectives of the study were to establish familiarity with and attitudes toward green building practices and terminology, along with assessing perceptions of cost differentials, plans to build sustainably, and awareness of sustainable design as a teaching tool. The survey found that respondents were largely familiar with green building terms and principles, but had somewhat less experience with actual construction of sustainable school buildings. Nearly two-thirds of respondents believed that high performance schools are more costly to build, but that a cost differential of 7 percent was acceptable to gain approval of a sustainable building in their school district. Over two-thirds of respondents have actually incorporated sustainable concepts in their recent school building designs. Three out of four respondents believe high performance schools can serve as a teaching tool for students. 41p.

Describes high performance schools from each of the nine climate zones associated with the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools. The nine case studies focus on the high performance design strategies implemented in each school, as well as the cost savings and benefits realized by students, faculty, the community, and the environment. 13p.

Discusses research that demonstrates that the quality of a building, the materials used, indoor air quality, interest-grabbing design features, use of daylighting, acoustic designs and more, impact the performance of those who use a school building.

Part one presents results of a literature review related to school indoor environmental quality and, in the context of limited resources facing American schools, practical science-based recommendations to improve and promote good school indoor environmental quality and prevent or reduce potential occupant exposure to toxic biological, chemical, and physical agents. Part two offers recommendations for improving school environmental health and safety based on today's known science. It draws together the knowledge, data, and research regarding school facilities, children's environmental health, and school facility impact on student achievement, to demonstrate that school facility issues are integral to school reform and equity debates. (Includes 302 references, a list some state and federal government sponsored Internet sites on school IEQ and energy, and a list of existing noise guidelines for school environments at local, state and international levels.) 87p.

Defines sustainable schools and its accompanying qualities of good site planning, lighting, indoor air quality, healthy building materials, acoustics, and use of renewable energy. Benefits to student achievement through daylighting and indoor air quality are detailed, and 34 references are included. 14p.

Summarizes seven studies on the effect of "green" school initiatives on student health and productivity. For each study, the following characteristics are identified: study type, the research question/hypothesis, the subjects, the physical/classroom variables (independent variables), the methodology and metrics used, The major findings of the study, and weaknesses and criticisms of the particular study. Copies of correspondence and a list of links active as of August 15, 2003 are included. 44p.

This study examines the effects of daylighting on human performance, focusing on skylighting as a way to isolate daylight as an illumination source and to separate illumination effects from other qualities associated with daylighting from windows. The study establishes a statistical connection between daylighting and student performance and between skylighting and retail sales. Using multivariate linear regression analysis, the study examined 21,000 school records from three school districts in three states and daylighting conditions in more than 2,000 classrooms. Data indicate students with the most classroom daylighting progressed 20 percent faster on math tests and 26 percent faster on reading tests in one year than those with the least amount of daylight. Similarly, students with the largest windows progressed 15 percent faster in math and 23 percent faster in reading than those with the least largest windows. In classrooms where windows could be opened, there was a 7 to 18 percent faster educational progress than those with fixed windows, regardless of air conditioning. These findings are reported to be consistent regardless of curricula or teaching styles. 140p.

This study investigates the relationships between elementary and middle school student performance and natural daylighting. The performance of students attending three daylit schools designed by Innovative Design for Johnston County Schools in North Carolina was analyzed and compared to the County school system as a whole and other new schools within Johnston County. The daylit schools in the study indicated energy cost reductions of between 22 percent to 64 percent over typical schools. 5p.

Discusses ten significant reason to embrace sustainable design in school design and construction: to save energy, water, and money; reduce pollution; improve health; provide educational opportunities; use local resources; reuse materials; receive grants and subsidies; and to exhibit leadership and social responsibility.

Briefly reviews the threat that "non-green" school buildings might pose to occupants, the cost of green construction versus the savings, green cleaning, and benefits to learning that green buildings may afford.

Describes the benefits of a healthy school environment to occupant health and academic achievement, as well as the reduced operational costs of a high performance school.

Reviews typical features and benefits of high performance schools, advises on how to get one built, and highlights the benefits gained in return for slightly higher construction costs. A list of links to additional information is included.

A growing number of studies show that a school's physical condition--especially its lighting and indoor air quality--directly affect student performance. A 2005 Turner Construction survey of green buildings found that 70 percent of districts with sustainable schools reported improved student performance. It also makes perfect sense that eco-friendly schools affect absenteeism, teacher-retention rates, and health-care costs. This article discusses the benefits of going eco-friendly schools and features Great Seneca Creek Elementary School in Germantown, Maryland, which has hosted more than two dozen tours for administrators, architects, parents, and the media--just about anyone who is interested in studying its environmentally-friendly ways. The school's 296,000-square-foot building--which runs on wind and solar power and boasts an irrigation pond--recently earned a silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, a rigorous set of national standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

This article examines the argument that "green" schools enhance educational performance. Having set the context of the relationship between environmentalism and the design of schools in the twentieth century, the article explores the performance of a number of green schools built in the UK between 1980 and 1995. The aim is to discover whether attention to environmental or ecological design produces measurable benefits in terms of learning levels in the classroom and the general performance of the school. The focus of the research is upon two clusters of green primary schools built 1980-95 by the local education authorities in Essex and Hampshire. In order to undertake the evaluation a methodology is proposed with criteria established for what design and construction characteristics constitute a "green" school. Key performance indicators available as a consequence of OfStEd inspections, SATS results, teacher turnover and pupil absenteeism rates are used to assess the performance of the schools in educational terms. Central to the hypothesis is that good environmental design leads to enhanced educational performance by pupils and improved productivity on the part of teachers. The methodology consists of comparing the performance of green schools with that of orthodox schools which share similar characteristics of size, location and socio-economic features, and then relating variables of educational performance to design features. Three initial findings are highlighted: first, the importance of classroom daylight levels to learning; second, the benefits to the school of secondary sun spaces; third, the need for attention to the relationship between ventilation and acoustic control in open-plan solar schools. [Author's abstract]

Discusses the attributes and benefits of high performance schools, with particular attention to energy-efficient HVAC systems that deliver comfort, high indoor air quality, and quiet operation at an affordable price.

Describes Elk River Area (Minnesota) School District's positive experience with sustainable design as an influence on school building design and environment, lower life cycle costs, and improved student achievement.

Discusses the benefits to education and community of better ventilation, acoustics, sustainable design, and energy savings. Building features from Missouri's Hazelwood School District are provided as examples.

Cites statistics on the condition of America's schools and the benefits of high-performance schools to students, teachers, the environment, the school owner, and the community. The top design considerations of indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, daylighting, and acoustics are discussed and eight online resources are provided.

In the author's opinion, a high performance building is critical to the education debate, because the space in which learning takes place is a key determinant of the quality of the learning experience and the level of educational achievement.

Schools can better fulfill their educational mission if they design and construct buildings on sustainability principals, including energy efficiency. This is the belief of Bill Dierdorff, the business manager for Oregon's North Clackamas School District, which is planning a new high school featuring natural ventilation, abundant daylighting, extensive resource efficiencies, and other elements of a light environmental footprint.

Website of the U.S. Green Building Council, this assists in the creation of environmentally conscious school buildings by providing facts on the benefits of green schools, project profiles, news, videos, slideshows, and guidance publications. Links to monthly issues of Green Source Magazine.

CHPS is a collaborative of California government, private, industry, and non-profit organizations. The Collaborative's goal is to facilitate the design of high performance schools. This site describes the benefits of high performance design, defines high performance, discusses health and productivity issues, and shows cost effectiveness. CHPS programs are listed, including financial incentive and technical assistance programs.

The Green Schools program helps schools use energy efficiently through building retrofits, changes in operational and maintenance routines, and changes in the behavior of building users. Students, teachers, custodians, administrators, and community partners all work together toward a common goal--saving energy and money. Green Schools is a project of the Alliance to Save Energy.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on high performance college and university facilities, including sustainability and green design issues, cost and funding concerns, and educational and community benefits.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on high performance school facilities, including sustainability and green design issues, cost and funding concerns, and educational and community benefits.

NCEF's resource list of academic research studies examining the association between student achievement and the physical environment of school buildings.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles examining the association between student achievement and the physical environment of school buildings.