Author: Sara Porter

Director of Healthy Green Schools & Colleges and VP of External Affairs at Healthy Schools Campaign

The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges™ Standard

Posted on by Sara Porter

Update: The third public comment period for the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Standard has ended. Green Seal accepted public comments between August 15, 2022 and August 30, 2022.

The Proposed Criteria and supplementary documents are available on Green Seal’s Standard Projects page. 

Green Seal and Healthy Schools Campaign are proposing several improvements to our Healthy Green Schools & Colleges™ standard criteria. These updates are intended to clarify and consolidate standard criteria; better address differences between K-12 school districts and higher education institutions, and provide more flexibility for schools to implement measures that foster healthy indoor environments for students and staff. The proposed updates are available for public comment through August 30th, 2022. 

SEE THE UPDATES

The pilot Healthy Green Schools & Colleges standard has been publicly available since March to any school district or university to use to improve indoor air quality in their facilities. Since then, the 9 school districts and 10 colleges and universities that signed on as Early Adopters during the development of the pilot standard have been formally implementing it to provide feedback on its usability, market relevance and any unnecessary barriers to certification. 

The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Program 

The standard is the centerpiece of a comprehensive program launching in September to support school facility management professionals in transforming the health and sustainability of school campuses.

First, a self-assessment tool will allow schools to objectively measure their current indoor environmental health and sustainability performance., while guidebooks, trainings, and tools will help facility professionals determine and take the next steps. Then, the standard’s points-based scoring system encourages schools to keep improving at their own pace, with support from a network of facility management peers across the country who are on a similar journey.

Schools that reach the top level of achievement can apply for third-party certification, earning public recognition for their verified expertise in providing healthy school environments.

Seeking Feedback 

Green Seal welcomes public input on the following proposed updates to the standard: 

  • 1.2 Determine a Representative Sample
  • 1.3 Plan Development
  • 3.2.1.2 ATP Monitoring
  • 3.2.2.1 Supply Labeling and Cleaning Procedures
  • 3.2.2.3 Daily Logging
  • 3.2.3.2 Detergent Dispensing
  • 3.2.6 Outdoor Surfaces
  • 3.3.2 Periodic or Restorative Maintenance
  • 3.6.1 Proper Material Handling and Storage Practices
  • 3.6.3 Spill Kits
  • 3.7.1.1 General Powered Equipment Standard Operating Procedures
  • 3.8 Integrated Pest Management
  • 4.1.1 HVAC System Maintenance
  • 4.1.2 Systems Able to Meet Outdoor Air Inflow Rates
  • 4.2.2 Potable Water Testing
  • 4.2.5 Dormant Buildings
  • Section 5 Monitoring and Evaluation
  • 5.1 IAQ Monitoring
  • 5.1.2.1 CO2 Monitoring
  • 5.2.2.3 Building Occupant Engagement
  • 5.1.3 Reporting on IAQ Issues

We develop standards through an open and transparent process that includes extensive stakeholder outreach and opportunities for public input.

The public comment period is open until August 30, 2022. We publish all formally submitted comments, as well as a response to each substantive issue identified by commenters.

Announcing a National Pilot Standard for Healthier School Facilities

Posted on by Sara Porter

Today, Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Green Seal launched a pilot standard for healthy and sustainable school facilities that focuses on measures that can make a big difference without major capital investments.

This is the first national standard focused on healthier school facilities, and it is publicly available for any school district or university to use today to improve air quality.

Explore the Draft Standard

This standard is the centerpiece of a comprehensive program to support school facility management professionals in transforming the health and sustainability of school campuses. The full Healthy Green Schools & Colleges program — including self-assessment tools, educational resources, certification opportunities, and a peer network — will launch this Spring.

The 9 school districts and 10 colleges and universities that signed on as Early Adopters during the development of the pilot standard will now begin formally implementing it to provide data and advice on thresholds for certification levels. It’s not too late for your school to participate – sign up here to test the standard and advise us on next steps.

An Issue of Urgency and Equity

The pandemic has made creating healthy school environments an urgent national priority and brought to light the significant under-investment in school facilities nationwide. But this challenge pre-dates the pandemic, with nearly half of schools reporting indoor air quality problems prior to 2020.

Unhealthy indoor air, inadequate ventilation, and chemical exposure from cleaning and maintenance routines are linked to poor concentration and test performance in students. These conditions are disproportionately found in schools serving primarily low-income Black and Latinx students, making this an important issue of equity.

The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges program is designed for any school district or university that commits to providing safer and healthier indoor school environments, whether they are just getting started on this path or already are leaders.

A Standard by and for School Facility Professionals

The first-of-its-kind standard was designed in partnership with the K-12 and university facility directors on the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Steering Committee and with input from early adopters, stakeholders, and the public. It is designed to be implemented district-wide or university-wide to ensure an organization-level commitment to standard operating procedures, resource distribution, and facility maintenance that supports the health of all students and staff, as well as the environment.

The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges standard addresses major impact areas and covers the full range of facilities management practices, including:

  • Cleaning and Disinfecting to reduce exposure and injury risks to cleaning staff; reduce the risk of virus transmission; reduce exposure to environmental health hazards; and support student health needs.
  • Integrated Pest Management to protect occupants from environmental health hazards and improve the indoor air quality of school facilities.
  • Sustainable Purchasing to ensure that school district purchases reduce negative environmental and human health impacts and help reduce the spread of infectious disease, while also delivering effective functional performance.
  • HVAC and Electric Maintenance to ensure proactive, preventative, planned, and reactive maintenance for all installed HVAC devices and fixtures to maximize their period of usefulness and improve the indoor air quality of school facilities.
  • Indoor Air Quality Testing and Monitoring to ensure processes, procedures, and tools are in place to monitor indoor air quality, while balancing the impact of HVAC on energy consumption and helping to identify opportunities to improve indoor air quality in schools.
  • Training to ensure cleaning and maintenance personnel work in the safest and most effective manner possible and receive appropriate training to promote health, safety, sustainability, sanitation, and minimize the spread of infectious disease through their work.
  • Communication to encourage cleaning staff, management, school building administrators, employees, and students to practice clear, effective, and equitable communication to develop trust.

The standard is the centerpiece of a comprehensive program launching this Spring 2022 to support school facility management professionals in transforming the health and sustainability of school campuses.

Explore the Program

A Healthy Indoor Air Standard for Schools

Posted on by Sara Porter

Update: The third public comment period for the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Standard has ended. Green Seal accepted public comments between August 15, 2022 and August 30, 2022.

The Proposed Criteria and supplementary documents are available on Green Seal’s Standard Projects page. 

Green Seal is proposing several important improvements to our standard criteria for Healthy Green Schools & Colleges. These updates will align Green Seal’s standard with other industry leaders’ guidelines; set additional and more substantial monitoring requirements; establish the point system that will be used as the basis for certification; and provide more opportunities for schools to make healthier, safer choices.

The pandemic has made creating healthy school environments an urgent national priority and brought to light the serious under-investment in school facilities nationwide.

But the fact is, even before the pandemic, nearly half of U.S. schools reported indoor air quality problems that put the health of students and staff at risk.

Unhealthy indoor air, inadequate ventilation, and chemical exposure from cleaning and maintenance routines continue to present systemic challenges in school districts. On top of health concerns, these issues are linked to poor concentration and test performance in students, adding preventable barriers to achievement.

A Standard by and for School Facility Professionals

School facility management professionals are vital stewards of school environments, making daily decisions that affect health, safety and sustainability.  While they are experts at doing a lot with a little, budget realities mean they often lack proper funding and resources for the essential work they do caring for students and staff.

That is why Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Green Seal are creating the first national standard for healthy and sustainable school facilities – with a focus on measures that can make a big difference without major capital investments.

This draft Healthy Green Schools & Colleges standard was designed in partnership with the award-winning school facility directors on our Steering Committee, who know firsthand what facility professionals need on the ground.

The science-based standard is geared toward K-12 school districts and higher education institutions and designed to be accessible for schools across the spectrum, whether they are just getting started exploring environmental health and sustainability improvements or are already a leader.

Building a Network of Peers

The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges standard will be the centerpiece of a comprehensive program designed to support school facility management professionals.

A self-assessment tool will allow schools to objectively measure their current indoor environmental health and sustainability performance, while guidebooks, trainings and other tools will help them determine and take their next steps. Then, a points-based scoring system will encourage schools to keep improving at their own pace, with support from a network of facility management peers across the country who are on a similar journey.

Schools that reach the top level of achievement will be able to apply for third-party certification, earning public recognition for their verified expertise in providing healthy school environments.

Schools have a rare opportunity right now to focus on their facilities. The American Rescue Plan and 2021 Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act provided tens of billions for American schools, including funds that can be used for health- and sustainability focused facility upgrades.

The way that schools manage their facilities speaks to how they value their students, staff, and surrounding communities. Healthy Green Schools & Colleges is committed to providing schools with the resources and network to ensure a quality of school facility that every student in America deserves.

Seeking Feedback

We develop standards through an open and transparent process that includes extensive stakeholder outreach and opportunities for public input. We publish all formally submitted comments, as well as a response to each substantive issue identified by commenters.