Issues > July/August 2006 (#115) > The Top 10 Green Schools in the U.S.: 2006

The Top 10 Green Schools in the U.S.: 2006

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The school maintains a green focus in everyday life on campus through serving local foods and adhering to enviro-friendly procurement policies, as well as a thoroughgoing recycling program. "The school's mission has been purposefully woven into the buildings and the programs to such an extent that the process of learning how to make decisions that consider the long term future of the economy, ecology and equity of all communities is an everyday occurrence," former principal Richard Eldridge, Ph.D. says.

3) 3rd Place: Desert Edge High School (public), Goodyear, AZ, score 60.1
New to The Green Guide's list this year is Desert Edge with its LEED-silver addition, which opened its door in August 2005 (the older portion built in 2002 also meets LEED standards). The new 84,200-square-foot building comes with a plethora of efficient features including an Energy Star-rated roof with a white (mineralized) surface coating to reflect heat; motion and daylight sensors to turn off lights; and water conserving features like drip-irrigation and hardier, native desert plants. Waterless urinals and low-flow toilets and fixtures use a million gallons of water a year less than a typical high school in drought-stricken Arizona. The school is almost pesticide-free, helped by the native plants, with only small amounts of pesticides used on the athletic field. Carbon dioxide sensors monitor air quality, bringing in fresh air as needed without wasting energy. Notes physics teacher, Jonathan Schmaedeke, this also helps keeps his students from dozing off in class.

The school district is so taken with the new building that it has committed to using LEED standards for all new school construction and may incorporate them in renovations of existing buildings as well. A key element in this decision was that LEED-silver status was not as expensive to obtain as might be thought, says John Schmaedeke (Jonathan's father), assistant superintendent of operations of the Agua Fria School District.

Even before freshman students learn that Desert Edge is a green school, Jonathan Schmaedeke has them research what makes a green school. Once they've grasped the concepts, he takes the kids on a tour of the school to see piping and mechanical systems left purposely exposed as teaching elements. Then, as their final project, the students design their own green buildings, turning out ideas such as solar-powered homes, schools and even one plan for a movie theater. Schmaedeke and his students have even been invited to speak about Desert Edge this September at an environmental education forum held by the Phoenix Zoo.

4) 4th Place: East Clayton Elementary (public), Clayton, NC; Score: 56.6
Built according to green standards, East Clayton Elementary relies on sunlight to illuminate halls and classrooms and recycled denim to insulate the walls. Although lunch isn't organic, it is local and, to save on waste, dishes and silverware are reused. The school has an extensive recycling program and procurement policies emphasize recycled content and length of usable life. To keep kids' lungs healthy, buses aren't allowed to idle outside.

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