CHPS Recognizes Four Organizations With Green Apple Awards

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Collaborative for High Performance Schools recognized four organizations at its annual conference for their commitment to creating healthy, high-performing learning environments.

The second annual Green Apple Awards program, part of CHPS’ yearly Greentools for Healthy Schools Conference recognized the recipients for the efforts in three categories: climate change, high performance school policy and existing schools.

Natomas Unified School District and Chevron Energy Solutions were the winners of the Green Apple awards for climate change.

Natomas was recognized for its effort to reduce impact on climate change through sustainable design. The school system recently completed construction of the H. Allen Hight Learning Center, the first state public school to feature a green roof. The elementary/middle school project was designed to meet CHPS standards.

Chevron received a climate change award for helping more than 80 school districts nationwide implement alternative energy systems to make their facilities more energy-efficient. The company is also working with San Jose Unified School District to design, build and maintain 5.5 megawatts of solar photovoltaic arrays.

The Department of Pesticide Regulation’s California Schools Integrated Pest Management received the Green Apple award for existing schools for its work on safe and effective pest control. IPM practices are designed to minimize exposure to toxic chemicals, lowering the risks of pest management and improving indoor and outdoor environmental quality.

Program officials also work with school districts to implement IPM policies and teach district coordinators about safe pest management principles and techniques. Approximately 70 percent of California school districts have been trained with the program.

The Green Apple award for high performance school policy was given to the Northeast Efficiency Partnership High Performance Schools Exchange for facilitating construction of sustainable schools.

The regional program is based in New England and works with school districts to encourage and support green design and construction through training and technical assistance. The exchange also offers a database of research and case studies of high-performance schools and collaborates with state and education departments to promote sustainable school construction.