How Healthy Schools Save Money

Healthy SchoolsThe Healthy Facilities Award is designed to help schools everywhere become healthier, both physically and fiscally, by showcasing facilities that model healthful, safe indoor environments, along with budget benefits, in areas such as indoor air quality, chemical exposure, water quality, sound levels, lighting, cleaning, disinfecting, sanitizing and foodservice, integrated pest management, ergonomics, classrooms, HVAC and ceilings, furniture, restrooms, floors, stairs, drinking fountains, cafeterias, foodservice, locker rooms and security.

Award levels include Gold Standard of Excellence, Silver Standard of Excellence and Healthy Facilities Advocate.

The program, developed by School Planning & Management (SP&M) and College Planning & Management (CP&M) magazines, in partnership with the Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI), will recognize leaders selected from pK-12, highereducation and other institutions that have demonstrated a commitment to better learning environments based on the application of well-established principles of healthy indoor environments as shown in the Healthy and Safe FacilityHandbook.

Why is this important? According to Dr. David Mudarri, HFI advisory board member: “A healthy mind and healthy body go together. Available research shows improved indoor environments can have a profound effect on human health, enhancing ability to learn and test scores.”

Moreover, healthy schools do not cost — they pay. To download your entry form or to access the Healthy and Safe Facility Handbook, visit spaces4learning.com/HFA. There is no fee to enter, and the process will help you advance on the path to both physical and fiscal health.

Featured

  • Minnesota District Opens New PreK–12 School

    Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop Schools in Gibbon, Minn., recently announced that construction is complete on a new, $68.9-million school for students in grades PreK–12, according to a news release.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • Texas District Breaks Ground on Second High School

    The Waller Independent School District in Waller, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for what will become its second high school, according to a news release.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).