Washington, D.C. — A newly released study, Greening America’s Schools, co-sponsored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Capital E, a green building consulting firm, demonstrates that schools built with green features improve student performance and provide significant energy cost reductions. Conducted over a five-year period, the report studied 30 green schools built in 10 states between 2001 and 2006, including five in Oregon, all designed by Portland-based BOORA Architects: Clackamas High School, Clackamas, Ore.; Ash Creek Intermediate School, Monmouth, Ore.; Baker Prairie Middle School, Canby, Ore.; Mabel Rush Elementary School, Newberg, Ore.; and The Dalles Middle School located in The Dalles, Ore.

Major benefits documented in the report include:

• Green schools use an average of 33 percent less energy and 32 percent less water than conventional schools;
• Green schools typically have better lighting, temperature control, improved ventilation and indoor air-quality which contribute to reduced asthma, colds, flu and absenteeism;
• A study of Chicago and Washington, D.C., schools found that better facilities can add 3 to 4 percentage points to a school’s standardized test scores; and
• Greening all school construction would create over 2000 additional new jobs each year from increased use of energy efficiency technologies.

The conclusion states that sustainable schools save an average of $100,000 a year per school. Green schools cost a fraction more than conventional schools, about $3 per square foot, but provide financial benefits that are 20 times the cost. For more information, visit www.aia.org , www.cap-e.com and www.boora.com.