H.J.R. 20

1

GREEN SCHOOLS JOINT RESOLUTION
2 2010 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Mark A. Wheatley
5 Senate Sponsor: ____________
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This joint resolution of the Legislature encourages the Utah State Board of Education
10 and Utah's school districts to consider ways to establish green schools in the state of
11 Utah.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . encourages the Utah Board of Education to consider the broader application of the
15 design and construction practices for green schools, both for new construction and
16 major renovation projects undertaken with school district funds; and
17 . encourages school districts to consider seeking application for certification of green
18 schools under the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and
19 Environmental Design rating system (LEED), or certification under a comparable
20 system with requirements at least equivalent to the LEED Silver certification for
21 new or retrofit construction, or other building performance systems like the United
22 States Department of Energy's ENERGY STAR Program.
23 Special Clauses:
24 None
25
26 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 WHEREAS, deteriorating school infrastructure and poor indoor environmental quality

28 threaten the health, well-being, and achievement of students and staff in the state's public
29 schools;
30 WHEREAS, current climate and energy challenges compound the structural and
31 resource deficiencies in many school districts in the state;
32 WHEREAS, green schools are schools that create a healthy environment that is
33 conducive to learning, while saving energy, resources, and money;
34 WHEREAS, green schools create an environment that supports student learning
35 through improvements in site selection, daylighting, indoor air quality, thermal comfort,
36 acoustics, and classroom design, all of which have an impact on a child's ability to learn and a
37 teacher's ability to teach;
38 WHEREAS, the benefits of superior air quality, a key emphasis of green schools, have
39 been linked to lower asthma rates, fewer allergies, reduced absenteeism, and increased teacher
40 retention rates;
41 WHEREAS, according to the United States Green Buildings Council, green schools
42 consume an average of 30% to 50% less energy compared to conventional schools;
43 WHEREAS, green schools cost less to operate, utilize durable materials, and greatly
44 reduce water and energy use, which generates significant cost savings;
45 WHEREAS, green schools provide an educational experience that transcends the
46 classroom by creating a host of opportunities for curriculum innovation and hands-on,
47 project-based learning in which the building itself becomes an interactive teaching tool;
48 WHEREAS, new schools currently under construction are on track to be among the
49 first energy net-zero K-12 schools in the nation; and
50 WHEREAS, there are now 30 commitments for green schools working groups and
51 caucuses as a result of the United States Green Building Council's state legislative conference
52 in October 2009:
53 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
54 encourages the Utah Board of Education to consider the broader application of the design and
55 construction practices for green schools, both for new construction and major renovation
56 projects undertaken with school district funds.
57 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages school districts to
58 consider seeking application for certification of green schools under the United States Green

59 Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system (LEED), or
60 certification under a comparable system with requirements at least equivalent to the LEED
61 Silver certification for new or retrofit construction, or other building performance systems like
62 the United States Department of Energy's ENERGY STAR Program.
63 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the United
64 States Department of Energy, to the United States Green Building Council, to the Utah State
65 Board of Education, and to the local school boards of the state's 41 school districts.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-2-10 10:10 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel