The Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Green Seal have announced a pilot Healthy Green Schools & Colleges certification standard to support facilities leaders in identifying and implementing low- or no-cost measures that make a significant difference in school indoor air quality.
The pilot standard is publicly available for any school district or university to use today to improve air quality in their facilities. It is designed to be implemented district-wide or university-wide to ensure an organization-level commitment to standard operating procedures, resource distribution, and facility maintenance that supports the health of all students and staff, as well as the environment.
The nine school districts and 10 colleges and universities that signed on as Early Adopters during the development of the pilot standard will now begin formally implementing it to provide data and advice on thresholds for certification levels. The full Healthy Green Schools & Colleges program, including self-assessment tools, educational resources, a peer network and certification opportunities, will be available this Spring.
“The pandemic has made creating healthy school environments an urgent national priority and brought to light the significant under-investment in school facilities nationwide,” said Doug Gatlin, CEO of Green Seal. “This national standard fills a critical gap to provide schools with the resources and network to ensure a quality of school facility that every student in America deserves.”
“Unhealthy indoor air, inadequate ventilation, and chemical exposure from cleaning and maintenance routines are linked to poor concentration and test performance in students. These conditions are disproportionately found in schools serving primarily low-income Black and Latinx students, making this an important issue of equity.,” said Rochelle Davis, President and CEO of Healthy Schools Campaign. “The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges program is designed for any school district or university that commits to providing safer and healthier indoor school environments, whether they are just getting started on this path or already are leaders.”
“This standard is such a big deal for our field of work,” said Lazell Ofield, Director of Custodial Services and Warehousing of Kansas City Public Schools. “The goal for all of us in this line of work is to provide a clean, green, healthy space for our staff and school communities. Now we have an actual document to go by, monitor, and adjust as needed to meet those goals.”
“What we need most of all right now is support.” said Jodi Krause, Assistant Director of Housekeeping for Residence Hall Facilities at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. “The way I see it, this standard guides us and brings us together to make healthier, safer, more sustainable decisions.”
About the Standard
The first-of-its-kind standard for healthy and sustainable facilities management was designed in partnership with the K-12 and university facility directors on the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Steering Committee and with input from early adopters, stakeholders and the public. It covers the full range of facilities management practices, including:
About the Program
The standard will be the centerpiece of a comprehensive program launching this Spring to support school facility management professionals in transforming the health and sustainability of school campuses. First, a self-assessment tool will allow schools to objectively measure their current indoor environmental health and sustainability performance, while guidebooks, trainings and tools will help facility professionals determine and take the next steps.
Then, the standard's points-based scoring system encourages schools to keep improving at their own pace, with support from a network of facility management peers across the country who are on a similar journey. Schools that reach the top level of achievement can apply for third-party certification, earning public recognition for their verified expertise in providing healthy school environments.
Learn more about the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges standard and program here.
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