My Experience at the USGBC Green Schools Summit
Well, it has now been a week since I presented on the topic of Improving Schools and Driving Change Through Building Automation Systems at the USGBC Green Schools Summit (GSS) in Arvada, CO. A week is a good amount of time to let the experience settle in. This year’s event was certainly the best attended, with more than 400 diverse professionals all advocating for our children’s futures and the health of our educational systems. What I enjoy most about the GSS, besides the incredible professional talent that I get to mingle with for a day every year, is how the USGBC, through this event’s platform, has strategically formulated a discussion that not only focuses on the benefits of sustainable schools, but bridges the importance of sustainability and innovative educational strategies.
At Major, we have spent decades providing solutions to improve the energy efficiency and comfort in schools all around the country through our commercial HVAC services including; building automation systems, geothermal heat pumps and commercial design/build solutions. However, this is not only our business, many of our team members have children of their own and care very deeply about their education, therefore we take great pride in taking a leadership role in greening our schools. Did you know that on average schools are wasting more than 20% of their energy just due to poor building controls? This is money that could be better used to increase teaching staff or fund educational materials. Further, poor comfort is a serious issue for educators, as studies have proven time and time again that space conditions impact children’s ability to learn and pay attention.
I’ve learned a lot over the years as a participant at this event and it starts with the thousands of professionals that are extremely dedicated to the prosperity of our children’s futures. Case studies directly link sustainable schools to increased student performance. Further, sustainable practices instill a greater mission into children’s education and prepare them to be better stewards of our environment. Lastly, based on pure economics, sustainable schools save money and have healthier cash flows, thereby they are being more responsible with the tax payers’ money. Education is something that we should be proud of and strive to continuously improve upon. Therefore at the core, we must ensure that the physical environment that our children are educated in is the most conducive to facilitating this goal.
So with that, I would like to thank the USGBC Colorado Chapter again for executing, yet again, another fantastic Green Schools Summit and give a warm shout out to all the participants and volunteers. This year’s event was very memorable and rewarding. We look forward to sponsoring this event next year. In the meantime, we will continue to lead the conversation in how we can further expand the penetration of sustainability into our schools.
Joel Poppert
Director of Business Development, Major
How to Use This Information
Do you really know how much energy your school district is wasting or could be saving? Do you know if the school your child is attending is as comfortable as possible? Does your school have sustainability goals that they would like to achieve, and how you can help facilitate this conversation? Major is one of the most trusted experts in the industry, and we are committed not only to greening our schools, but also to investing in our children’s futures.
Our specialists are trusted not only by school districts all over the country, but by hundreds of commercial clients all over the United States! If you are interested in learning more about how our services could benefit your school, please don’t hesitate to schedule a free system evaluation today or call one of our sustainability experts at 303-424-1622.
