New Sustainability Program Focuses on Healthy Schools and Colleges
February 25, 2022
The Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Green Seal have launched Healthy Green Schools & Colleges, a partnership combining HSC’s experience working with leading school facility directors and Green Seal’s experience in science-based standard development.
Healthy Green Schools & Colleges provides school facility leaders with resources to transform the health and sustainability of school and university environments without making major capital investments. The multifaceted program includes education; a network to accelerate the adoption of best practices; certification standards and implementation guidelines, and public recognition of the leaders who achieve success.
The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges program will help facility professionals identify measures that can make a major difference in indoor air quality and without major capital investments. It is designed in partnership with the award-winning school facility directors on our Steering Committee, who know firsthand the types of challenges facility professionals face on the ground.
The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges program will cover the range of facilities management practices, including:
- cleaning and disinfecting
- integrated pest management
- sustainable purchasing
- HVAC and electric
- maintenance
- indoor air quality testing and monitoring
- training and communications.
Healthy Green Schools & Colleges is designed to be accessible for schools across the spectrum, whether just getting started exploring environmental health and sustainability improvements or are already a leader. It will include:
- a self-assessment tool for schools to objectively measure their indoor environmental health and sustainability performance.
- a science-based standard with a points-based scoring system, to encourage schools to keep improving at their own pace.
- guidebooks, training and other resources to support continual improvement.
- access to a peer network of sustainability professionals who are on a similar journey
- recognition from a respected non-profit authority and certification for schools that reach the top level of achievement.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor, facility group.
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