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(NAPSI)-According to a federal study, 75
percent of schools in Florida, a total of 5,419 schools, reported
that they needed funds for repairs, renovation and modernization,
just to bring their schools up to a level they would consider
"good." But those funds are hard to come by.
Overcrowded and in a state of disrepair,
many schools have inadequate heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning systems, poor acoustics, even substandard plumbing
that make it harder for students to learn and for teachers to
teach, according to the "Building Minds, Minding Buildings" report
recently released by the American Federation of Teachers.
The U.S. General Accounting Office
estimates that it will cost $112 billion to bring existing K-12
public schools up to proper standards. Another $73 billion will be
necessary to house the 1.4 million new students entering the
education system in the next year.
"Green building" could provide the
solution. Green building strategies — employed in buildings
as far back as the 19th century — are ways for schools to
create ideal learning environments while being energy efficient and
environmentally responsible.
Green building strategies, including
high-performance heating and ventilating systems and services,
increase the quality of the air in the building and make it
quieter, among other qualities that have a significant impact on
teacher performance and student achievement. Some green schools, in
fact, have reported a significant reduction in student absenteeism
and improved student performance.
"Greening America's Schools," a study
sponsored by the Federation of American Scientists, the U.S. Green
Building Council, the American Lung Association and the American
Federation of Teachers, among others, found that green building can
directly benefit schools through decreased operational costs,
freeing up budget to hire new teachers and fund other expenditures
that directly impact student learning.
Using an average of 33 percent less energy
than conventionally designed schools, green schools pay lower
utility bills than conventional schools, and they have the
potential to help lower marketwide energy costs by reducing overall
demand.
America's schools face some of their
greatest challenges in coming years. Green schools represent one
strategy that offers a possible path to success. For more
information about green schools, schools that are already going
green and how they can help students, go to
www.trane.com/commercial.
Seventy percent of districts with green
schools reported reduced absenteeism and improved student
performance.
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