Governor Kasich Recognizes Commission as the World Leader in Environmentally-Friendly School Buildings

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor John Kasich has recognized the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) and its staff for having surpassed 300 LEED-certified K-12 schools in Ohio, more than any other state in the country and making it the world leader in environmentally-friendly buildings.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the world’s most widely used green building rating system. It was developed by the U.S. Green Buildings Council (USGBC), which recently announced that Ohio’s 300 K-12 certified buildings makes Ohio the nationwide leader in sustainable school construction, well ahead of second-place California (148 LEED-certified schools).  That number also exceeds total green building numbers in all other countries.

The recognition, in the form of a Governor’s Resolution, was presented to OFCC Executive Director David Williamson by Commission Chairman Timothy Keen, who is the Director of Ohio’s Office of Budget and Management.

The recognition follows an award from the USGBC, which honored OFCC during a ceremony earlier this month in Columbus.  USGBC President Manesh Ramanujam said the group “applauds Mr. Williamson and the OFCC for their commitment to Ohio’s students. By prioritizing green schools, the OFCC is leading the way and helping USGBC continue toward our vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation.”

Director Williamson noted that this has been a 10-year process for the Commission, which first mandated the use of environmentally friendly design techniques in state-funded K-12 projects back in 2007. “Our Commission has always stressed innovation and new ideas into our program,” Williamson added.  “We believe that our efforts in this area have yielded both environmental benefits and operational cost savings for public owners in Ohio. We look forward to our continued work with USGBC in this vital area.”

Ohio’s LEED-certified schools are designed to be more energy efficient, save money and reduce resource consumption. Buildings in OFCC-funded LEED projects are designed, on average, to be 33 percent more energy efficient, reduce potable water consumption by 35 percent, and provide healthier learning environments for children. The program also has an economic impact: through LEED, the OFCC has spent approximately $1.4 Billion dollars to purchase products and materials within 500 miles of each project, thus supporting the local economies.

In addition to Ohio's comprehensive public K-12 school construction and renovation program, the OFCC guides capital construction projects for state agencies and state-supported universities and community colleges. The Commission also manages grant programs for cultural facilities, community school classroom facilities, and lead plumbing fixture replacement in schools.

Featured

  • How One School Reimagined Learning Spaces—and What Others Can Learn

    When Collegedale Academy, a PreK–8 school outside Chattanooga, Tenn., needed a new elementary building, we faced the choice that many school leaders eventually confront: repair an aging facility or reimagine what learning spaces could be. Our historic elementary school held decades of memories for families, including some who had once walked its halls as children themselves. But years of wear and the need for costly repairs made it clear that investing in the old building would only patch the problems rather than solve them.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

  • Tennessee State University Gains Approval for New Engineering Facility

    Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tenn., recently announced that it has received approval from the Tennessee State Building Commission to build a new engineering building on campus, according to a university news release. The 70,000-square-foot, $50-million facility will play home to the university’s engineering programs and the Applied & Industrial Technology program.

  • Colorado State University Global, SCTE Launch Online Certificate Program

    Colorado State University Global (CSU Global), based in Denver, Colo., recently announced a partnership with CableLabs subsidiary the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) to launch an online certificate training program for broadband professionals, according to a news release.