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

  • North Texas School District Completes Third New Elementary School

    The Denton Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, recently finished construction on its third prototype design elementary school, Reeves Elementary, according to a news release.

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.