Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Championing Environmental Excellence

  • 02/01/14

The Hawai’i Preparatory Academy (HPA) - in Waimea (Kamuela) on the island of Hawai’i - founded in 1949, is an independent coeducational school providing a full range of opportunities for students from kindergarten through grade 12.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, HPA was one of only two schools throughout the state of Hawai’i, and one of only 78 schools nationwide in the U.S., to receive the Green Ribbon Schools (GRS) award in recognition of their accomplishments toward saving energy and reducing costs.

“TANCS Steam Vapor has helped HPA meet the GRS criteria as an awardwinning school because it cleans and disinfects without the use of harsh chemicals, reduces manpower and reduces the spread and growth of mold,” says Robert McKendry, CPA and chief financial officer for the school.

HPA started using TANCS steam vapor from Advanced Vapor Technologies in 2007, and applications now include all campus restrooms, showers, dorm rooms, infirmary, guesthouses and classrooms. Widespread adoption has resulted in reduction of toxic chemistries, and significant cost savings.

“In 2008, we spent $3,800 on disinfectant cleaners, and now our usage - and related expense - of such harsh chemistries is basically zero,” McKendry notes.

Additionally, McKendry and his colleagues have identified the following benefits of the chemical-free TANCS steam vapor intervention:

  • Areas are now much easier to clean;
  • Mold and mildew in shower areas are not growing back as fast;
  • Appearance of shower tiles and grout have improved greatly;
  • Chrome sink faucets/fixtures are now disinfected and gleam brightly;
  • Toilets, urinals and divider walls are sanitized and do not smell as before;

“We are deeply impressed and convinced that the cleaning process can affect student health, attendance and learning,” says McKendry. “TANCS steam vapor, among the many other measures we have taken to achieve environmental excellence, has made our school environment better and safer for everyone.”

www.advap.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey

    Spaces4Learning recently launched the 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey, which collects data on the previous year’s K–12 and higher education construction projects nationwide.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.