Inside: Sustainable Solutions

The Burwell Center for Career Achievement at the University of Denver has received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Green Ideas Building Science Consultants says in a news release that the facility is the first LEED Platinum building on the campus.

The 22,904-square-foot three-story building was designed to provide extensive daylighting with views to the surrounding campus, superior energy efficiency, and ergonomic workspaces for computer users.

Some of the sustainable strategies incorporated into the design and construction: low-emitting materials that reduce the harmful effect of VOCs; capture of 100% of stormwater onsite to replicate natural hydrology; cool roof strategies to reduce the urban heat island effect; and native and adaptive landscaping to reduce the amount of potable water needed for irrigation.

The facility, completed in 2020, provides undergraduate and graduate students with career counseling and resources.

The architects are Lake | Flato Architects, and SAR+.

Chula Vista (Calif.) district completes $32 million solar installation

The Chula Vista (Calif.)Elementary School District has completed a $32 million project that installed more than 18,000 solar panels at 46 schools.

The district says the photovoltaic panels are projected to save the district $70 million in energy costs over the next 25 years.

“By the end of this project, we think we will be able to generate about 90% of the district’s overall energy demands,” says Deputy Superintendent Oscar Esquivel. “That is a tremendous amount of energy—and savings for our district.”

Chula Vista schools now have 8.1 megawatts of solar installed across 48 sites—46 schools, the district's transportation yard, and the Education Service and Support Center.

The district partnered with ENGIE North America to install the solar panels.

Funding for the project came from a bond issue approved by voters in 2020.

EPA awards $1 billion to school districts for electric and low-emission buses

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program has awarded nearly $1 billion to 389 school districts to help them purchase over 2,400 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles.

The EPA says phasing out buses with diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. 

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan says the electric and low-emission vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health.

Noting that some 25 million children ride buses to school each day, Regan says, "This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve.”

The infrastructure law passed by Congress in 2021 includes $5 billion over the next five years for the Clean School Bus Program.