Representative Jim Matheson to tour green elementary school
Posted: May 29, 2008
(Washington, D.C.) May 29, 2008 – As founding co-chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Green Schools Caucus, which was formed last October to raise awareness of and promote the benefits of green schools, Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, will be touring Daybreak Elementary School in South Jordan, Utah, on Friday, May 30, 2008. Daybreak earned LEED-Silver certification as a green school in May 2006.
“Schools are vulnerable to the sky-rocketing costs of energy," Matheson said. "When their energy budgets take a hit, kids' education suffers. By encouraging green school buildings, we help save money, demonstrate the latest technology and increase educational opportunities for the kids who spend much of their day in that building."
With the active support of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Green Schools Caucus was created by founding co-chairs Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Ore.; Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas; and Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah.
The goals of the caucus are to raise awareness of the benefits of green schools, lead the policy discussion on the topic in various forums, create legislative opportunities for the collective efforts of the caucus members, and provide members of Congress with constituent outreach resources. Caucus members and their staff will participate in educational programs to learn what is going on nationally and in their districts, including site visits to green schools and educational panels with teachers, architects and school officials from across the country.
For more information on green schools: www.buildgreenschools.org.
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About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 15,500 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 74 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
About LEED® for Schools
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools green rating system provides green-building guidelines and offers third-party verification to assure schools’ stakeholders that their buildings incorporate the best in science, design and technology to make their schools truly green. The LEED for Schools rating system was launched by the U.S. Green Building Council in spring 2007 and has certified more than 85 schools as green to date. Additionally, there are over 750 school buildings registered their intent to seek certification. Visit www.buildgreenschools.org for more information.