• Integrated Pest Control
Integrated Pest Control (IPC) methods use physical means to control pest populations and use chemical treatments only as a last resort. This benefits IEQ by control allergens associated with pests while avoiding the use of toxic products.
The first step in using IPC is to keep pests out
-seal all cracks and holes on the outside. Next, remove pest food sources – by constant cleaning and separation of food waste for storage in sealed containers. Remove pest shelter – keep spaces free of nesting habitat use open shelving and clean regularly. Keep records – note pest sightings. target problem pests - first use non-chemical methods, such as traps and vacuums. For persistent pest problems, work with a pest control professional to select the least-toxic pesticides.
Waste Reduction
Waste reduction can be effected on two levels:
waste generated through school operations (e.g.
lunch waste or paper) and waste generated due to the replacement of worn building materials.
During the programming and design phase, at-source waste separation should be considered and given dedicated space both in millwork receptacles and a central collection place for all sources in the building.
Green Design
Proper Operation and Maintenance is crucial to the success of any green school. Early in the design stages - if trade-offs can be found – significant capital costs can be offset by maintenance savings. These trade-offs can be identified through completing a Life Cycle Cost assessment.
Components such as exterior cladding and roofing, floor and ceiling finishes should be subject to a life-cycle cost assessment. Even simply transferring staff duties can add to the green opportunities.
For example, if linoleum is used for floor covering instead of VCT, summer floor waxing and stripping is not required. This resource can be reassigned to other initiatives such as exterior maintenance or increased shade planting.
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4.1.2 Integrating Green into the School Curriculum
As cited in the EcoChampions case study below, environmental features need not be passive, but can actively engage students and the curriculum.
Other examples include learning gardens that occupy once-dead spaces of parking lots and rooftops that provide environmental and teaching opportunities. The ways in which a green school can be linked to curriculum or used as a teaching opportunity are limited only by the imagination.
Including the building users (staff and students) in the design phases of a project will increase the learning opportunities that are identified and incorporated into the design.
In Go Green, Ontario’s Action Plan On Climate Change, the Government of Ontario states that
“Educating Ontario’s primary and secondary school students about the environment is a priority for the government.” The Bondar Working Group, headed by astronaut and scientist
Dr. Roberta Bondar, was convened by the province to study ways to enhance students’
understanding of these issues through the provincial curriculum.
Among the group’s recommendations was that schools should integrate environmental education into “all subjects in all grades” and work more closely with “community partners
An example of this kind of partnership is York University’s Ontario EcoSchools project, an environmental education program that addresses how schools are run and what students
learn, with a focus on student success “in both academics and positive contributions to society”. In fact, one of its four key purposes is to “align what is taught in classrooms with school operations”. Ontario EcoSchools can provide educational resources and guides to reduce energy use, minimize waste, and design environmentally-friendly school grounds, while providing opportunities for student and staff participation outside the classroom to reinforce classroom learning. It can already be shown that Certified EcoSchools use 12% less electricity and 7% less natural gas than comparable non-Certified EcoSchools.
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5 | REFERENCES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
GREEN SCHOOLS RESOURCE GUIDE
4.1.3 Green Student Programs
Teaching Students and Staff about Energy Efficiency
End users are responsible for at least a third of all energy consumption. Educating occupants is a key pillar in a board’s energy conservation program, because, in a green school, students and staff are not seen as simply occupants of the building, but instead as active participants.
For example, turning off the lights is a simple and easy conservation technique. Since there are usually 10 to 12 lighting fixtures per classroom, more light is used in a single classroom than in an entire family home.
Positive energy habits spread beyond the schoolyard to create a community that is better informed about the impact of everyday choices.
A green school provides educators with a unique opportunity to use their surroundings as a teaching tool by displaying green features. Along with displaying green features, building systems and controls can be wired with feedback loops to illustrate cause and effect. The school can become an interactive learning tool. For example, turning off a light switch can register as a drop in energy consumption on a classroom computer.
Potential education targets could include:
• Providing display material in the building describing the green features to allow for informal learning for anyone who enters the school
• Developing an occupant awareness program such as EcoSchools or EcoChampions (see Case Study 1)
• Identify opportunities to align curriculum with green objectives
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