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Study Shows Energy-efficient School Design Lowers Operation Costs, Increases Test Scores and Improves Indoor Air Quality
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For Immediate Release |
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Washington, D.C., October 31,
2006 — A new national report, Greening America’s Schools,
reveals that building energy-efficient schools results in lower
operating costs, improved test scores and enhanced student health.
The report, produced by Capital E and co-sponsored by The American
Institute of Architects (AIA), concluded that schools that are
designed to be environmentally friendly would save an average of
$100,000 each year – enough to hire two additional full-time
teachers.
The report includes a detailed analysis of 30 green schools built
in 10 states between 2001 and 2006, and demonstrates that the total
financial benefits of green schools are 20 times greater than the
initial cost, and include energy and water savings, and improved
student health and test scores. 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.
Click here for the full report: http://www.cap-e.com/ewebeditpro/items/O59F9819.pdf
“This study underscores the enormous cost of poor design and
the critical impact that good design and operation has on the
quality of our children’s education,” said AIA President
Kate Schwennsen, FAIA. “The findings indicate that there are
tremendous benefits from energy-efficient school design, not only
from an economic standpoint, but from increased student test scores
and far healthier environments through improved indoor air
quality.”
If all new school construction and school renovations were designed
to be environmentally conscious starting today, energy savings
alone would total $20 billion over the next 10 years. Major
benefits documented in Greening America’s Schools
include:
• Green schools use an average of 33% less energy and 32% less
water than conventional schools
• Green schools typically have better lighting, temperature
control, improved ventilation and indoor air-quality which
contribute to reduced asthma, colds, flu and absenteeism
• A study of Chicago and Washington, D.C. schools found that
better facilities can add 3 to 4 percentage points to a
school’s standardized test scores
• Greening all school construction would create over 2000
additional new jobs each year from increased use of energy
efficiency technologies.
Study author and Managing Principal of Capital E, Greg Kats, a
former Director of Finance for Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy at the US Department of Energy, has worked with dozens of
corporations, developers, state agencies and organizations to
arrive at conservative cost/benefit comparisons of different
environmental and building strategies. Kats stated that, “The
financial benefits of green schools are substantially broader than
those quantified in the report and include the creation of new
educational opportunities, improved equity in education and
insurance savings. Building green schools is more fiscally prudent
and lower risk than continuing to build unhealthy, inefficient
schools.”
Specific school findings include:
• The green school in Dedham, MA saved the town $400,000 in
new sewer-system infrastructure by reducing stormwater runoff from
the school grounds. (page 8)
• A review of five separate studies by Carnegie Mellon
University found a 38.5% asthma reduction in buildings – such
as green schools – from improved indoor air-quality. (page
10)
• One school district in North Carolina experienced a 33%
increase in the percentage of students testing at grade-level for
reading and math after moving to a green school. (page 12)
About The American Institute of
Architects
For almost 150 years, members of The American Institute of
Architects have worked with each other and their communities to
create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings
and cityscapes. AIA members have access to the right people,
knowledge, and tools to create better design, and through such
resources and access, they help clients and communities make their
visions real. www.aia.org/
About Capital E
Capital E is a national clean energy technology and green building
consulting firm. Capital E's principals combine very strong
business, government, technical, energy and environmental expertise
with a track record of success in both the private and public
sectors. www.cap-e.com
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