Green Seal has launched the first national air quality initiative for educational facilities. With organizations like the University of Georgia and the Kansas City Public Schools on board, the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges is based on a comprehensive third-party standard that was developed with input from dozens of school districts and universities (see the list here) and a wide variety of stakeholders. It is designed to be implemented district-wide or university-wide to ensure an organization-level commitment that equitably supports the health of all students and staff.
Healthy Green Schools & Colleges offers school facility professionals a three-step process to improve indoor air quality and sustainability in their facilities:
Assess: Schools complete a free online self-assessment to objectively measure their performance, discover their facilities’ strengths and weaknesses, and see how many points they score toward the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges standard.
Commit: Schools commit to improving their performance by joining the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges program and gaining access to resources including guidebooks, training materials and a peer network of facility professionals on a similar journey.
Improve: Participating schools use program resources to improve their performance at their own pace. Schools that reach the top level of achievement can apply for Healthy Green Schools & Colleges certification to earn public recognition for their verified expertise in providing healthy school environments.
“The pandemic has highlighted the importance of creating healthier indoor environments, yet many schools struggle to maintain facilities that support the health of all students and staff,” said Doug Gatlin, CEO of Green Seal. “This nationally available program addresses a critical gap by providing schools with the guidance and network to continuously improve the health and sustainability of their facilities."
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
