Colleges and Universities Leading the Green Charge

The LA Times published a story about Green Building on university and college campuses. It appears as though they are leading the way in the public sector. In California we have "California High Performing Schools or CHPS", which sets standards for green building in schools and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED. LEED is the national certification program established by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Some of the points that I found interesting the the article were:

• That eco-friendly buildings shrink costs is especially helpful during a time of budget cuts for education. Despite the initial "green premium" -- the extra cost of building to green standards -- sustainable facilities tend to have fewer operating expenses. And according to a study done in conjunction with the American Institute of Architects, eco-friendly construction helps lower absenteeism, improves productivity and staves off health problems for students and teachers.

• In 2001, there were 42 LEED projects in the higher education sector. Between 2006 and 2007, the number nearly doubled from 769 to 1,412. As of June, 1,497 buildings were seeking certification.

Another good point that the article makes is against launching "window dressing" green projects -- or "painting green". The article lists numerous funny recycled items that are used in construction, but probably will not have a real impact on energy savings or on the environment.