BOSTON, MA — State officials in Massachusetts recently launched the Massachusetts Green Schools Program, a $13.5 million initiative to promote the design and construction of a new generation of resource and energy efficient school buildings. The pilot program is a cooperative effort between the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s “Renewable Energy Trust” and the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) School Building Assistance program.

“The Green Schools Program is important for two principal reasons,” said Mitchell Adams, executive director of the Collaborative. “First, it will help create schools that utilize efficient renewable energy technologies, creating a healthier learning environment for students while helping communities lower their school operation and maintenance costs. Second, getting involved in education offers the opportunity to instill in children and parents the value of including environmental concerns as part of the everyday choices they make throughout their lives. Looking ahead, these efforts will help in developing a sustainable commercial market for renewable energy.”