Does anyone know of green building programs in schools that have been supported by student groups? (e.g. grant writing, research, implementation)
Jennifer Howell,
Vice President
Triangle Associates, Inc.
811 1st Avenue, Suite 255
Seattle, WA 98104
206-583-0655 phone
206-200-7488 cell
www.triangleassociates.com
Student Supported Green Building Programs
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Jennifer:
At Montgomery County Public Schools in MD, we have a Green Schools program for secondary schools that focuses on operating the school more sustainably, primarily with reducing wasted electricity (mostly coal-fired generation in our area.) We give back to the schools 40% of the avoided cost of the saved electricity (over a baseline year) up to a maximum of $5,000. We have several schools that have achieved that top award. One Green TEam elected to help fund a 1.5 kW PV array (which is now installed), students at another school are looking at a planted "green wall" project to reduce heat gain in the school. www.greenschoolsfocus.org
Karen Anderson
Stanford's Green Dorm project (http://greendorm.stanford.edu) has been primarily supported by student/faculty research partnerships over the past few years - we're finally going into schematic design in January - which students also expect to be involved in as well.
Nick Enge
Stanford University '09
Students at Vermont Law School led the charge several years ago to ensure that construction of a new classroom building was green. VLS, which prides itself on being the #1 environmental law school in the U.S., was resistant to the change (ironic - or just normal?), but the students persisted. The new building wound up using 20% of the energy that it would have with normal construction. It included institutional-sized composting toilets. One of the student organizers is now in practice in central Vermont - her name is Abby Doolittle.
Cheers,
Adam
Students are involved in the development and maintenance of a solar and permaculture garden/greenhouse project at Hood River Middle School (in Oregon). Not sure to what extent they were involved in the financing part. http://www.b-e-f.org/renewables/hoodriver.shtm
Susan Millhauser
Sustainability Planner
City of Lake Oswego
PO Box 369
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Phone: 503-635-0291
Fax: 503-635-0269
Hi Jennifer et al,
Two student - driven green building projects at Canadian Universities are: Mount Alison University's "Sustainable Residence" and the University of Waterloo Architecture Program's "Grand House". Of these two, the Grand House is much further ahead and has started construction of a new building. The Mt. A project is still more of a concept than a reality. Students self-identify as being interested in living in the Sust. Rez and they are housed within one of the old homes the University owns. The students can do more of their own cooking and have a bit more ownership over lifestyle choices than typical residence students but the building is far from efficient/sustainable. There are "plans' to do a big retrofit on it but nothing concrete yet. Google can lead you to websites about either. I know the students at the Mount A residence so can put you in touch with them if you would like more info.
Cheers,
Ramsey Hart
Baie Verte, NB
Jennifer,
I suggest you check out what Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina (USA) has done and is doing. Passing along excerpts here from a communication from the Director of Community Outreach for the Environmental Leadership Center: "our students write business plans, [ex - their Cafe], building plans [ex - their.Eco Dorm, administrative building], write grant proposals (solar power expansion), implement (our college is a work college so all of our building and maintenance is performed by students), research ..." Our Catalyst newsletter speaks to the happenings on campus including recent research, developments, how WWC is THE model for a Senate Bill (that passed) on requiring public schools to monitor energy use and efficiency:
http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~ELC/New_ELC_Website_/Catalyst_Fall_2007.pdf
The Green Walkabout website speaks to green building practices - which our students are at the center of planning and implementing
http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~ELC/New_ELC_Website_/Green_Walkabout.php
Research and work we are doing for the City of Asheville - a model partnership that other public schools are now attempting to emulate
http://www.warren-wilson.edu/environmental/initiatives.php
Hope this helps. I recently toured some of the facilities after a environmental presentation the Center hosted, and had been on a general campus tour and recycling center tour prior to that. I am in awe of what they have done, with student input and work as both key element and driving force. (The campus, by the way, is very lovely).
Marilyn Sobanski
Rainbow Recycling
Black Mountain, NC
828-669-5459
[email protected]