green schools classroom

New Sustainability Program Focuses on Healthy Schools and Colleges

  February 25, 2022


By Dan Hounsell


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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