Healthy Schools Campaign Launches Inaugural Green Clean Schools Leadership Summit

Industry Experts Focus on the Future of Green Cleaning in Schools

Healthy Schools Campaign will host the first annual Green Clean Schools Leadership Summit, July 30-31, in Seattle, Wash. The summit is open to school facility managers, green cleaning experts and vendors from across the country interested in making schools healthier places for students and staff to learn and work. The focus of the summit is to envision the future of green cleaning in schools, with presentations from industry leaders who will address the advantages of green cleaning, as well as the common challenges, emerging issues and best practices.

“Through our Green Clean Schools program and our annual Green Cleaning Award for Schools & Universities we’ve been consistently amazed by new and exciting innovations in the green cleaning field,” said Mark Bishop, Healthy Schools Campaign’s vice president of policy. “The first annual Green Clean Schools Leadership Summit is a much-needed opportunity to bring together leaders from across the country to share their knowledge and experiences, tackle common challenges and take green cleaning in schools to the next level—for children’s health and for the environment.”

Each school day, more than 60 million students and staff attend our nation’s schools, representing 20 percent of the American population. Unfortunately, more than half may be exposed to polluted indoor air within their schools. A comprehensive green cleaning program can help reduce these harmful exposures, while at the same time being a cost-effective and efficient practice for facility managers and workers.

The two-day summit, held at the three-time Green Cleaning Award-winning University of Washington – Seattle, will feature the leading voices in green cleaning, including Steve Ashkin, founder and CEO of Sustainability Dashboard Tools and The Ashkin Group; Rachel Gutter, senior vice president of knowledge at the U.S. Green Building Council and director of the Center for Green Schools; founding members of Healthy Schools Campaign’s Green Clean Schools Leadership Council; and several other past winners of the Green Cleaning Award for Schools & Universities.

Discussion topics will include emerging issues in green cleaning, workforce management and training, green floor care and infection control, all with an eye toward the future of green cleaning. Summit attendees will also receive a behind-the-scenes look at the University of Washington’s award-winning green cleaning program led by Gene Woodward, Green Clean Schools Leadership Council member and the university’s director of building services.

Registration for the Green Clean Schools Leadership Summit is currently open, but space is limited. To learn more and to register, visit greencleanschools.org/summit.

Featured

  • RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. RIT Saunders College of Business's Lowenthal Hall Addition has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.