Green Schools Expo Coming to Pasadena
The Green California Schools Summit and Exposition, capturing the revolution in healthy, high performance schools, is coming to the Pasadena Convention Center December 5-6.
Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) November 18, 2007
From December 5th to the 6th, the Pasadena Convention Center will offer an unprecedented view of the range of tools and strategies available to make California's schools the healthiest and most sustainable in the nation. Secretary of Education Dr. David Long, Secretary of State and Consumer Services Rosario Marin and State Architect David Thorman will all be on hand to open the event at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
The Green California Schools Summit and Exposition, with over 200 exhibitors, dozens of breakout sessions led by the state's green school leaders -- and a model green school building constructed in the center of the exhibit hall floor -- will capture all dimensions of the California's revolutionary green schools initiative.
"This is the first major opportunity that we've had in California to focus completely on K-12 schools in terms of the potential for energy savings and sustainability," notes David Thorman, California's State Architect, and co-chair of the Summit advisory board.
Schools are often the centerpieces of their communities. The awareness is growing in every one of the almost 1,100 school districts in California of the benefits of healthy schools. The Green California Schools Summit will meet a tremendous need to connect these districts with the products, services, financial incentives and information they need to begin or expand their greening efforts.
California has undertaken the largest school construction effort in its history, and there is focus and support at the state level for green, or high performance schools. State officials recently finalized rules regarding the allocation of $100 million in incentive grants to promote the use of high performance attributes in new construction and modernization projects for K-12 schools. The grants were established as part of Proposition 1D - the Kindergarten-University Facilities Bond Act of 2006, a $10.4 billion initiative for school facility construction and modernization.
Pre-conference workshops on December 4 will include a session to help schools understand how to access Proposition 1D grants, led by state architect Thorman and Rob Cook, who directs the state's Office of Public School Construction.
Numerous sessions in the summit will focus on the cost savings attainable through energy efficiency and other green strategies, as well as the resources available to finance these projects.
"The more events we can have to increase awareness, the more people will join in," said Kristin Heinen, assistant executive director for the Coalition for High Performance Schools. "This Summit is addressing a very broad range of green school issues -- not just facilities but also other important aspects, from gardens and nursing programs to nutrition. We can provide a foundation of what green goals are and an opportunity to talk about any green issue."
A Showcase for Possibilities
The summit exhibition will have four distinct venues. The main exhibit hall will be home to over 200 exhibitors, offering a chance to learn about and see products ranging from zero-emission paint and recycled rubber flooring to solar power and daylighting systems.
At the center of the exhibition hall, Bouma Construction will construct a Green School Demonstration Building. An experiential showcase, the Demonstration Building will enable attendees to experience, in context, various aspects of a green school. An outdoor display area will feature alternative fuel vehicles, playground equipment, grounds equipment and landscaping designs and products.
"It is time for all school districts to start incorporating green technology and sustainability in all new schools," said advisory board member Ted Rozzi, chair of California's Coalition for Adequate School Housing (CASH) and assistant superintendent for school facilities for the Corona-Norco Unified School District. "The position we find ourselves in is that we can no longer accept things the way they are. We need to start thinking about the next 50 years."
The Green California Schools Summit is organized by an initiative of the California Green Action Team and Green Technology. For more information contact, Racquel Palmese, managing editor, Green Technology, 323-936-7125 ext. 242, or visit the Summit website at: www. green-technology. org/gcschools (http://www. green-technology. org/gcschools).
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