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DENVER—In advance of the ninth annual Green Schools Summit, USGBC Colorado recently hosted a media preview discussion with industry leaders. The Summit will convene over 400 education and facility stakeholders in Denver on November 6 for a practical discussion on how to green Colorado's schools within thisgeneration.
The preview was led by Patti Mason, USGBC Colorado's executive director, and included professionals working in green school initiativesat both the state and local levels. Participants focused on incorporating sustainability best practices in districts around the state.
Kari-Elin Mock, associate principal at Cuningham Group Architecture, shared her experience at the Aspen Community School where they focused on preserving the original 1970s design, while at the same time incorporating new 21st century learning practices. “A big part of that process was making sure that the community was on board and that we had local support.”
Laurel Mattrey, sustainability planner garden and greenhouse program coordinator at Denver Public Schools Sustainability Office, said that one of the biggest challenges she faces is the fact that Denver Public Schools is one of the fastest growing school districts in the country right now. “We find that it's our responsibility to our tax payers to think about how to best use our resources, especially water.”
DPS has come up with a system that prioritizes water use zones in each district. In response to the recent drought in Colorado, the district came up with which schools had a larger need for water than others based on varying factors.
Mattrey revealed one of the most effective methods right now in the conservation of water at DPS is the emphasis of training facility managers who are onsite and one of the first contacts in regards to water use at school facilities. “There is a decent amount of time and energy we spend on training these managers and staff on the proper use of irrigation systems at their schools and when to bring in additional support.”
Celeste Cizik, senior energy engineer at Group 14 Engineering, agreed that training the managers onsite is one of the most important things when integrating new sustainability systems into school districts. “We do a lot of commissioning at schools so we have to train operators on the systems and making sure everyone has a good understanding on how controls operate and what is expected,” she noted. “It is also important that we factor in keeping these operators up to date on new Colorado state codes.”
Check back with GlobeSt.com in the next day or two for more from the discussion including construction best practices and new technology.
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Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com and GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
