Building a New Green and Healthy School

New green and healthy schools incorporate technology and knowledge about building design from the beginning. A high performance school costs little more to build than conventional schools. Any additional money spent in construction can be recouped in a few years of operation through energy savings and reduced absenteeism.

If your district is planning to build a new school, the first step toward making that building green and healthy is to review the Kentucky's Design Manual for building Green and Healthy Schools. The sooner you decide to build your school using these guidelines, the easier and more cost efficient the process will be. A new green and healthy school incorporates the following building blocks in a holistic building approach.

To learn more about why your district should consider building a green and healthy school (and to watch the green schools video) click here.

• Acoustic Comfort • Commissioning • Daylighting • Durability • Energy Analysis Tools • Energy-Efficient Building Shell • Environmentally Preferable Materials and Products • Environmentally Responsive Site Planning • High-Performance HVAC (Heating/Ventilating/Air Conditioning) • High-Performance Electric Lighting • Life Cycle Cost Analysis • Renewable Energy • Safety and Security • Superior Indoor Air Quality • Thermal Comfort • Visual Comfort • Water Efficiency

For more information about these design features, read High Performance School Buildings Resource and Strategy Guide published by the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council.

To be recognized as a New Kentucky Green and Healthy School, the architects, engineers, and builders fill out the checklist found in the Guidelines for Building a New Green and Healthy School. A school scoring at or above design criteria is awarded the New Kentucky Green and Healthy School plaque and will be recognized in a ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda. Schools completing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System will also be recognized as New Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools.

New Green and Healthy Schools are models of efficient use of natural resources and productive learning environments. Students and staff may evaluate the results of their new school design by continuing with the Getting Started step of the Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools Program.