New school construction provides multiple opportunities for school districts to take advantage of the latest in design efficiencies and new product development, creating a learning environment which is efficient and economical to operate, healthy and safe for children and staff, and a model for the community.

There are currently two national green building standards organizations with categories for school construction, LEED and Energy Star. Numerous regional and state programs include more region-specific ideas and solutions.

Resources:

LEED for Schools, a program of the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a rating system that addresses issues such as classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention and environmental site assessment.

Energy Star for K-12 School Districts is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy focusing on energy efficient products and practices for schools.

The Collaborative for High-Performance Schools (CHPS) is a California-based organization of business, education and utility professionals pooling their knowledge and expertise to help shape the design of new high- performance schools.

New York State's Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) offers a wide variety of free interactive online training courses for architects and engineers with continuing education credits. This excellent resource is available to all who are interested.

The Healthy Schools Network has produced an introductory pamphlet called the School Design Guide for Healthy and High Performance Schools. It covers the basic concepts involved in green school buildings, provides references and scientific support, and includes a basic design checklist.

The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) has compiled a very helpful Building Green School Resource List.