 Water Conservation
Schools use a tremendous amount of water everyday, and require water for their heating and cooling systems, restrooms, drinking water faucets, locker rooms, cafeteria, laboratories, and outdoor playing fields and lawns. To reduce water use in the school, consider replacing old equipment such as dishwashers with energy-saving devices. Repair water leaks and leaky toilets. Install water aerators and automatic shut-off devices on faucets. Use low-flow shower heads and timer shut-off devices to reduce water use during showers. Install toilet dams on older models.
The WAVE Program (Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency) is an EPA program designed to focus attention on the value of water and the need for efficient use of this important natural resource. The WAVE Program is a voluntary program which encourages educational institutions to implement and install water saving techniques and equipment. Participants receive free water management software and technical support, which help them to evaluate potential economic benefits from conserving water. With water and sewer rates escalating nationwide, facility managers are coming under pressure to better manage water resources. Facility managers could wind up saving thousands of dollars annually on reduced water and sewer charges simply by reviewing how their facilities use water and by upgrading inefficient fixtures and irrigation processes.
To reduce outdoor water use, maximize natural vegetative cover, and limit the amount of lawn area provided. Maintain playing fields using drought-tolerant grasses.
For more information on Water Conservation, visit:
Water Conservation Tips for Schools
Schools use a tremendous amount of water everyday, and require water for their heating and cooling systems, restrooms, drinking water faucets, locker rooms, cafeteria, laboratories, and outdoor playing fields and lawns.
Featured Water Conservation Resources:
Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT)
HealthySEAT is a new software tool from EPA designed to help school districts conduct voluntary, customized self-assessments of their school facilities for environmental, health, and safety hazards.
Source: EPA - Office of Air and Radiation - Indoor Environments Division
http://www.epa.gov/schools
New Hampshire Healthy School Environments
This website provides links to resources to help schools assess and address health, safety and environmental issues in school buildings. Both a fact sheet on NH Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) efforts to customize EPA's HealthySEAT , as well as New Hampshire customization of the software may be downloaded from this site.
Source: New Hampshire Department of Envrionmental Services Air Resources Division - Air Resources Division
http://www.des.nh.gov/ARD/EHP/HSE 
How to Conserve Water and Use It Effectively
This chapter explores a number of water use efficiency practices. The practices have been evaluated by many researchers, and there is a growing body of literature that presents the results of many studies related to water use efficiency.
Source: EPA - Office of Water
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/chap3.html
Rhode Island Rules and Regulations for School Health Programs
These regulations, issued by RI Department of Education and RI Deptartment of Health, address a number of environmental/health issues in schools, such as: mercury, pesticide application, asbestos, lead, radon, water supply, and chemical hygiene plans. The regulations prohibit the use of certain chemicals from schools (see Appendix A).
Source: RI Dept Education and RI Dept Health
http://www.rules.state.ri.us/rules/released/pdf/DOH/DOH_2722.pdf
Environmental Compliance and Best Management Practices Guidance Manual
This comprehensive environmental manual is available on-line in both English and Spanish.
Source: EPA - Region 2
http://www.epa.gov/region02/children/k12/
Collaborative for High Performance Schools
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) aims to increase the energy efficiency of public schools in California by marketing information, service, and incentive programs directly to school districts and designers. The Collaborative's goal is to facilitate the design of high performance schools: environments that are not only energy efficient, but also healthy, comfortable, well lit, and contain the amenities needed for a quality education.
Source: Collaborative for High Performance Schools
http://www.chps.net/
California -- Sustainable Schools
This website provides a diverse collection of sustainable building
resources that will help schools create high performance educational facilities that will ensure the optimal health and productivity of students and faculty.
Source: California Division of the State Architect
http://www.sustainableschools.dgs.ca.gov/sustainableschools/
Green Buildings Portal
Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation,
operation, maintenance, and demolition. EPA's Green Building web portal provides links to energy, waste, water, materials, and indoor environment resources.
Source: EPA-Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response - Office of Solid Waste
http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/
National Best Practices Manual for Building High Performance Schools
Written specifically for architects and engineers, this manual is designed to help design or retrofit schools. This is a large document (8.2MB) and may take a few moments to download.
Source: Department of Energy - Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs
http://www.eren.doe.gov/energysmartschools/pdfs/31545.pdf
Wisconsin - Green Schools Program
The Wisconsin Green Schools Program is a web based, voluntary program available to all K-12 schools across the state. The program encourages teachers, staff and students to work together to use the school, grounds, and community as learning tools to help teach sound environmental practices and promote environmental sustainability. A wide variety of environmental topics are addressed.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Green Schools Program
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/greenSchools
High Performance School Design Online Training
Interactive courses on this site are offered free of charge as a public benefit for design and engineering professionals specializing in sustainable design for K-12 schools. High performance school design integrates daylighting, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency to build a school that runs efficiently, saves money, protects natural resources, and provides superior visual, acoustical, and thermal comfort.
Source: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
http://www.hpschooldesigntraining.com/nyserda/home.jsp
LEED for Schools
The LEED for Schools Rating System recognizes the unique nature of the design and construction of K-12 schools. Based on the LEED for New Construction rating system, it addresses issues such as classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention and environmental site assessment.
Source: U.S. Green Building Council
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1586
Tox Town
An introduction to toxic chemicals and environmental health risks you might encounter in everyday life, in everyday places, including schools.
Source: National Institutes of Health - National Library of Medicine
http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/index.html
Illinois EPA Green Schools Checklist: Environmental Actions for Schools to Consider
This web site provides environmental improvement strategies for addressing: energy usage, solid waste generation, indoor air quality, pest management, mold growth, water consumption, laboratory waste, building renovation and purchasing in schools.
Source: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Pollution Prevention
http://www.epa.state.il.us/green-illinois/green-schools/index.html
Massachusetts Environmental Health and Safety Issues in Massachusetts' Primary Schools
The interagency Healthy Schools Council was tasked with identifying a list of the most important issues for schools to address in terms of environmental health and safety. A multi-agency/multi-media checklist was developed addressing these issues.
Source: Massachusetts Healthy Schools Council - Massachusetts Department of Public Health
http://www.state.ma.us/dph/beha/iaq/schools/schools.htm
EPA Region 5 - Pollution Prevention Toolbox
Contains tools for helping teachers integrate Pollution Prevention into the classroom.
Source: EPA Region 5 - Pesticides and Toxics Office
http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/p2pages/toolbox.htm
Indiana - IDEM E-Newsletter for Indiana Educators
This newletter provides information on a range of environmental topics which schools must address.
Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management
http://www.in.gov/idem/schoolnews
EPA Guide to Protecting Children's Health in Schools
Software tool developed by EPA Region 5 and Purdue University provides information on hazards found in schools, inlcuding a virtual tour of a school, the potential effects of those hazards on children's health, planning tools, case studies, and lnks to resources to help schools prevent and fix environmental problems.
Source: EPA Region 5 & Purdue University
http://www.epa.gov/seahome/child.html
NCEF Resource List: Water Conservation and Safety
NCEF offers an annotated list of links, books, and journal articles on water conservation and drinking water safety in school buildings and grounds, including solid waste management.
Source: National Institute of Building Sciences - National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/water.cfm
Inventory of Federal School Environmental Health Activities
This inventory was prepared by the Schools Workgroup of the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children and includes descriptions of major school related programs and activities of EPA and other Federal departments and Agencies.
Source: EPA -- President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/Inventory.htm/$file/Inventory.pdf
Water Conservation Tips for Schools
This EPA New England website link provides information about conserving water in school environments.
Source: EPA Region 1
http://www.epa.gov/region01/eco/drinkwater/water_conservation_schools.html
EPA New England's K-12 Schools Website
This site discusses efforts to improve coordination and integration amongst EPA's many schools related programs, and provides links to Regional topic specific web sites, such as: asbestos, diesel school buses, drinking water, environmental management systems, energy, indoor air quality, lead, mercury and teacher and student resources. Links to national websites are provided as well.
Source: EPA Region 1
http://www.epa.gov/ne/schools
EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) establishes requirements for Federal, State and local governments, Indian Tribes, and industry regarding emergency planning and Community Right-to-Know reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals. The Community Right-to-Know provisions help increase the public's knowledge and access to information on chemicals at individual facilities, their uses, and releases into the environment. States and communities, working with facilities, can use the information to improve chemical safety and protect public health and the environment.
Source: EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention - Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention (CEPPO)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oswer/ceppoweb.nsf/content/epcraOverview.htm#epcraoverview
Illinois -- Greening Schools
Greening Schools offers FREE technical assistance, workshops for teachers, administrators and facility managers, and on-line resources related to pollution prevention for all Illinois schools.
Source: Illinois Waste Management and Research Center
http://www.greeningschools.org
Maryland Water Saving Tips for Schools and Colleges
Water saving tips for schools and colleges broken out into general suggestions, building maintenance, kitchen and laundry areas, pool, and exterior areas.
Source: Maryland Department of the Environment - Water Conservation
http://www.mde.state.md.us/waterconservation/schools.asp
Tennessee Green Schools Resource Guide
Provides a list of national resources pertaining to Schools organized by various topics: General Pollution Prevention, Energy Conservation, Land & Water Conservation, Clean Air, Hazardous Materials Management, Waste Reduction, Green Activities, and Environmental Education K-12.
Source: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Division of Community Assistance - Tennessee Pollution Prevention Partnership
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/ea/tp3/tp3grschools.php
Vermont Why P2 In Your School?
This Web site contains a list of Pollution Prevention strategies that can help your school prevent health hazards, create less environmental pollution, and save money.
Source: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources - Pollution Prevention
http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/ead/ppap/index.htm
Oregon Green School Tools: Creating Healthy School Environments Through Resource Efficiency
Oregon�s schools are preparing for the 21st century by using resources wisely. Students, parents, and teachers are demonstrating civic pride through a commitment to the environment. This tool is written for principals, custodians, teachers, students, parents, kitchen staff, site councils, classified staff, or school volunteers who are working on improving the health and livability of their school environment.
Source: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality - Solid Waste Policy and Program Development Section
http://www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/solwaste/education/schtools.html
Oregon - Resource Efficiency at Oregon Schools and Libraries: Success Stories
Compilation of resource efficiency examples or "vignettes" collected from Oregon schools and libraries. Where information is readily available, estimates of financial and resource savings are included. Contains links to detailed case studies, where applicable.
Source: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality - Solid Waste Policy and Program Development Section
http://www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/solwaste/cwrc/cstudy/school.html
WaterWiser
WaterWiser is a clearinghouse of the most current, applicable water conservation and efficiency materials available.
Source: American Water Works Association
http://www.waterwiser.org/
Massachusetts - Environmental Management System Implementation in Waltham, MA Public Schools
The Waltham Public Schools has undertaken an innovative approach to managing their environmental affairs by implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) based on the ISO 14001 international standard.
Source: Waltham Mass. Public Schools
http://www.city.waltham.ma.us/SCHOOL/WebPAge/EMS/EM.htm
New York High Performance Building Guidelines
These guidelines outline a range of 'best practices' for planning, designing, constructing and operating healthier, more energy and resource-efficient facilities.
Source: NYC Department of Design and Construction
http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/ddc/html/highperf.html
Green Schools Project
The Green Schools program helps schools use energy efficiently through building retrofits, changes in operational and maintenance routines, and changes in the behavior of building users.
Source: Alliance to Save Energy - Green Schools
http://www.ase.org/greenschools/index.htm
Green Schools Energy Project
Step-by-step guide for implementing an energy saving project in your school district. Includes a fact sheet that briefly explains acid rain, global warming, and air pollution.
Source: Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!)
http://www.yesworld.org/info/GreenSchoolsManual.pdf
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