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An Examination of Green School Practices in Atlanta Schools Dr. Tak Cheung Chan Professor of Educational Leadership Department of Educational Leadership, Bagwell College of Education Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, Georgia 30144 2013 1 An Examination of Green School Practices in Atlanta Schools An Abstract The primary goal of this study is to examine green environmental practices exercised in maintaining healthy schools in Atlanta. A forty item researcher developed instrument was used to survey 30 randomly sampled schools in Atlanta area. Five schools particularly strong in green environment implementation were visited to observe their green school operation. Results of the study indicated that Atlanta schools in general earned a “fair” grade in implementing green school programs with weaknesses in green school leadership. Analysis did not find any relationship between green school implementation and school building age, school ethnicity and socioeconomic status of school communities. Key words: green school, school environment, resource conservation, school facility planning, school renovation, school maintenance, school sustainability. 2 Acknowledgements This research project is made possible by a special research grant of the Bagwell College of Education, Kennesaw State University The following experts/scholars are recognized for their special contributions to the completion of this research project: Dr. Glen Earthman (Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University) Dr. Kenneth Tanner (University of Georgia) Dr. Kenneth Ducote (Consulting and Planning Research Associates) Dr. Edward Duncanson (Western Connecticut State University) Mr. Peter Morley (Sizemore Architects and Associates, Atlanta, GA) Ms. Daphne Griffin (Cobb County School District, GA) Ms. Maria Madden (Lovett Middle School, GA) Ms. Majorie Bickerstaff (Cobb County School district, GA) Mr. Russell Sims (Cherokee County School District, GA) 3 Introduction More and more examples of green school grounds have shown their contributions to children’s physical, mental, social and academic performance. Green schools’ healthy environments have been known to create the climate for students to learn better and adults to work better. In the energy conservation point of view, schools and universities can benefit by taking the green school approach to construction, renovation and maintenance of facilities. A green school building is designed to strive for a toxics-free environment, to create a healthy space for teaching and learning and to make school environments healthier. School administrators today are faced with the stringent demand for performance accountability by demonstrating efficiency and effectiveness. “The Green School” concept appears logically fit because it is clear that both K-12 and higher education are struggling to address the challenges of environmental accountability. The demands are increasing particularly at a time of financial crisis and resource shortages. This study on green environmental practices is focused on examining how effective Atlanta schools have implemented the national environmental standards as part of the green school initiative. In addition to contributing to the knowledge of the field, the findings of this study will inspire school facility planners to invest their time and effort in further adopting green school practices in response to environmental accountability. Conceptual Framework “Green schools offer a comfortable, attractive, and user-friendly environment that demonstrates the great importance our society places on learning and encourages students to excel.” (Christopher, 2009, p. 25) The green school features the following 4 characteristics: (1) A commitment by the institution to develop and implement school greenness through policy establishment; (2) The design of school facilities through application of architectural and engineering devices; (3) The operational practices of schools to achieve school greenness; and (4) The development of school curriculum to respond to the green school initiative. Green school is a resource-responsible learning experience for students. Through our commitment, design, practices and education, students will become resource-responsible citizens of the world. The Green School Concepts (sustainability) A green school building is defined as a structure that creates a healthy environment conducive to teaching and learning while sustainably conserving energy and resources (U.S. Green Building Council, 2000). As conceptualized by Green School Initiative (2013), the little green schoolhouse consists of four pillars: One – strive to be toxics-free; Two – use resources sustainably; Three – create a green healthy space; and Four – teach, learn and engage. The future of human beings depends on protecting the health of the next generation and the earth we live in. It makes sense that we educate our children with knowledge and skills to face environmental issues of the future (U.S. Green Building Council, 2006). Sustainability of green schools was also highlighted in another U.S. Green Building Council report of 2009 (USGBC 2009a). It clearly stated that this generation of students would be sustainability natives – as a generation experienced in more sustainable lifestyles capable of driving global market transformation. Green School Leadership School administrators need to serve as leaders in environmental sustainability to give students the tools to be innovators and a healthy environment to learn (Green School 5 Initiative, 2013). They have the responsibility to develop a series of policies and procedures and essentially changing the school culture to become greener and more sustainable (Sims, 2012). Schiller (2012) claimed that school leaders needed to treat their school buildings as “living buildings” to ensure sanitation and cleanliness per LEED standards. DeJong (2012) called upon educational leaders to follow the state of Maryland in making environmental education a requirement for graduation. The LEED Standards Design standards have been developed by different professional organizations to set criteria for compliance with the acceptable levels of environmental greenness. These include materials, device, policies, practices, and, in the school setting, the school curriculum. Examples of these standards are LEED - (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design); CHPS - (Collaborative for High Performance Schools); ES - (Energy Star); and GECC - (Georgia Energy Code Compliance). Among the many standards to achieve building greenness, the one most popularly referred to is the LEED because of its comprehensive coverage of areas of environmental greenness. The LEED is a voluntary participation program developed by the US Green Building Council (2007) to promote transformational change across the building industry. Six areas of standardization are established in reviewing a building for LEED compliance. These areas include: Energy and Atmosphere; Sustainable Sites; Indoor Environmental Quality; Innovative Design; Materials and Resources; and Water Efficiency. Accounting for the total credits earned, buildings can be awarded the status of LEED Certified, LEED Silver, LEED Gold, or LEED Platinum. Many school buildings, particularly those in higher 6 education, are moving toward LEED to provide a better control for campus costs and to promote healthy environment for learning. The Green Environment The green environment of a school cuts costs on its utility bills and fosters healthy and productive classrooms by minimizing risks of environmental pollution concerns. “A green school is the physical result of a consensus process of planning, design, and construction that takes into account a building’s performance over its entire 50- to 60- year life cycle” (Gordon, 2010, p.1). It seeks to minimize the building’s impact on the environment through concerted efforts to conserve water and energy, maximize natural light, and integrate its design with the surrounding landscape (Allen, 2007). To achieve green school environment design, Kopec (2009) agreed that proper layout was important for achieving a safe, healthy and enjoyable educational environment. Moreover, he underlined the importance of such environment factors such as proper ventilation, daylight and views, access to fresh air, minimal level of indoor pollutants, thermal comfort, green materials, and cleanliness. Environmental Impact on Student Activities Although research is limited, findings seem to indicate a positive relationship between building design variables and student performance (Edwards, 2006; Tanner, 2008). Among all the factors, the presence of daylight has affected the productivity and performance of building occupants (Heschong Mahone Group, 1999). Hoffman’s study (2009) also reported that improved lighting and indoor air quality were related to increased progression of student reading and math achievement. Recent findings of a McGraw-Hill report (2012) indicated that improved student performance, enhancing 7 health and well-being, and decreasing student/faculty absenteeism were the factors involved in decision making by school districts to go “green”. Additionally, Matich’s study (2012) suggested that as schools implemented Green Print core practices at higher levels, student achievement in science tended to show improvement. Green School as a Teaching Tool A green school is not only the pride of the school district and community. It also serves its educational function. “The combination of green school design, a green organizational culture, and curriculum aligned with green practices and methodologies sets the stage for school to utilize their facilities and grounds as a teaching tool” (Barr, 2011, p. 29-30). Through the green curriculum in school, students have studied and understand the value of solar panels, wind turbines and alternative fuels. They have strong value about conservation and sustainability (DeJong, 2012). Many educational programs have proved that if students and staff went through green school training, the change of behavior indicated that they could be assigned with energy conservation responsibilities at school (Kopochinski, 2012b; Sims, 2012). Water Conservation Water conservation is an important aspect of the LEED standards (USGBC, 2009a). The use of automatic water control systems, and water-conserving plumbing fixtures could tremendously save water consumption in schools. High efficiency irrigation technologies together with the use of pavers and cisterns take full advantage of rainwater as alternative water sources (Vatralova, 2010). Water-wise landscaping and bio-swale located under the courtyard help reduce water use and improve water quality (Kopochinski, 2012b). 8 Energy Conservation Essential components of energy conservation in the LEED standards consist of enhancing commissioning and management of energy, optimizing energy efficiency performance, measuring performance, and creating on-site renewable energy sources. (USGBC, 2009a). School designers need to consider the school building and its site in terms of energy efficiency, resource conservation and user comfort. Other strategies could include solar heating, use of natural light, high-performance windows and insulations and a ground-source geo-exchange system of heating and cooling (Kopochinski, 2012b). A school construction with zero net energy is gaining popularity. With zero net energy consumption and zero carbon emissions, buildings can be energy independent by using solar and wind devices on site to generate energy for school consumption (Kopochinski, 2012a). Costs and Benefits of Green School Gordon (2010) described the main benefits to building green facilities as: enhanced learning, costing savings, healthier environments, better operational performance, and increased teaching tools. Ford (2007) emphasized the benefits of green schools---children are healthier and more productive, buildings have superior indoor air quality and thermal comfort. Other studies have found that while they cost more to build initially, schools saved more over the life of the building than traditional schools. Kats (2006) verified that it cost 2% more to build a green school while the school operation efficiency was 25-30% more. The US Green School Council (2009b) reported that green schools on average used 33% less energy and 32% less water than conventionally constructed schools. Purpose of the Study Although professional organizations have called for increased environmental concern in educational institutions, little literature has been devoted to the accountability 9 issues in educational settings. Additionally, there is little consistency in developing and implementing policies for promoting green school environments. A healthy school environment results in healthy staff and students who will perform to the best of their potential. Educational leaders have the responsibility to create and maintain environmentally healthy buildings and grounds as infrastructures to support the education process. Therefore, the primary goal of this study is to examine green environmental practices exercised in maintaining healthy schools in Atlanta. Significance Green school buildings are intended to promote good environmental practices such as resource conservation and maintenance cost savings resulting in staff health, morale, and productivity improvement. It also sends a positive message to the public that educators are leading the way for a sustainable future by setting solid examples for the youngsters. The findings of this study will serve as evidence of Atlanta educational leaders in the forefront of supporting green environmental initiatives with invaluable educational significance. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will stimulate enthusiastic launch of effort toward making our educational environment “green”. School administrators will take a more proactive approach in dealing with environmental accountability. Research Questions The following research questions are developed to serve as a framework to guide the direction of the study: 1. How are green environment practices implemented by public schools in Atlanta area? 10