H.J.R. 1

1

GREEN SCHOOLS JOINT RESOLUTION
2 2012 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 State Board of Education to consider the broader application of
15 the design and construction practices for green schools, both for new construction
16 and 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, green schools are schools that create a healthy environment that is
31 conducive to learning, while saving energy, resources, and money;
32 WHEREAS, green schools create an environment that supports student learning
33 through improvements in site selection, daylighting, indoor air quality, thermal comfort,
34 acoustics, and classroom design, all of which have an impact on a child's ability to learn and a
35 teacher's ability to teach;
36 WHEREAS, the benefits of superior air quality, a key emphasis of green schools, have
37 been linked to lower asthma rates, fewer allergies, reduced absenteeism, and increased teacher
38 retention rates;
39 WHEREAS, according to the United States Green Buildings Council, green schools
40 consume an average of 30% to 50% less energy compared to conventional schools;
41 WHEREAS, green schools cost less to operate, utilize durable materials, and greatly
42 reduce water and energy use, which generates significant cost savings;
43 WHEREAS, green schools provide an educational experience that transcends the
44 classroom by creating a host of opportunities for curriculum innovation and hands-on,
45 project-based learning in which the building itself becomes an interactive teaching tool; and
46 WHEREAS, new schools currently under construction are on track to be among the
47 first energy net-zero K-12 schools in the nation:
48 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
49 encourages the Utah State Board of Education to consider the broader application of the design
50 and construction practices for green schools, both for new construction and major renovation
51 projects undertaken with school district funds.
52 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages school districts to
53 consider seeking application for certification of green schools under the United States Green
54 Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system (LEED), or
55 certification under a comparable system with requirements at least equivalent to the LEED
56 Silver certification for new or retrofit construction, or other building performance systems like
57 the United States Department of Energy's ENERGY STAR Program.
58 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the United

59 States Department of Energy, to the United States Green Building Council, to the Utah State
60 Board of Education, and to the local school boards of the state's 41 school districts.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-4-12 10:28 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel