Board Policy EBL: Environmental Programs

Environmentally Conscious School System

MISSION: To establish and maintain an environmentally conscious school system through curriculum and educational programs, green procurement measures, implementation of energy and water efficient operations policies and procedures and implementation of a system-wide recycling program.

The DeKalb County Board of Education believes that it functions for the best interest of education in the DeKalb County School System by supporting the establishment, maintenance and promotion of an environmental policy that is incorporated into the K-12 curricula, the maintenance and cleaning practices employed by system employees in all buildings and on all grounds, the procurement policy for all goods and services used by the system and establishment and support of a system-wide recycling program.

The Board supports the establishment and maintenance of an environmentally conscious school system through the following measures:

1. Ensure that all schools have adopted and implemented environmental curricula and consistently support same;

2. Continuous procurement and use of a utility analysis firm through the competitive bid process;

3. Adoption of comprehensive water conservation plan:

4. Development and implementation of a systematic, system-wide leak detection and repair plan;

5. Creation of conservation guidelines to be followed by food services staff and maintenance staff and implement training seminars for same;

6. Installation of mechanical components on fixtures and equipment in schools and administrative buildings that will reduce water waste and consumption;

7. Replacement of bathroom hardware that are not considered to be instruments of water conservation (low flow plumbing fixtures);

8. Adoption of healthy and safe cleaning program:

9. Training of facility managers and building service staff on green housekeeping and grounds upkeep requirements developed by the U.S. Green Building Council;

10. Development of clear program housekeeping polices and standards and environmental cleaning solution specifications by which to measure progress and achievement;

11. Procurement of recycled products for use in schools and administrative offices when economically feasible;

12. Planning and creating green facilities:

13. Mandate that Green Building Concepts be incorporated into the design and construction plan for all newly construction schools;

14. Mandate that Green Building Concepts be incorporated into the design and construction plan for all remodeling projects;

15. Installation of environmentally conscious technology into new and remodeled school and administrative buildings that reduce water and energy consumption;

16. Mandate that all new landscape plans employ environmentally conscious approach and design to minimize dependence of irrigation systems;

17. Standardization of systems and products:

18. Creation of Standardization Committees to be made up of DCSS employees and independent consultants that will evaluate the implemented systems and products being used on the following criteria:

19. Life Cycle Costs;

20. Ease of Training and Maintenance;

21. Sustainability and Environmental Impact;

22. Each Standardization Committee will focus on one of the following areas:

23. Building Envelope;

24. Architectural Fixtures;

25. Mechanical Systems and Plumbing Fixtures;

26. Electrical Systems and Kitchen Equipment;

27. Lighting Improvement Plan:

28. Comprehensive Lighting Energy Audit (CLEA) by an Energy Service Company (ESCO) for qualifying school facilities;

29. Implementation of conservation and improvement plan outlined by the ESCO;

30. System-wide Recycling Plan:

31. Develop Recycling Council

32. Implement system-wide recycling program (for recycling of post-consumer waste and the purchase of products made with recycled content) and foster relationships with outside entities to help implement and support the recycling program;

33. Provide guidelines, educational tools and training of students, teachers, administrators and staff on proper collection and disposal of materials to be recycled

34. Develop Recycling Committees at each school and administrative center:

35. Committees will oversee implementation and documentation of the Recycling Program at each school.

36. Committee members will monitor compliance with the program in each school;

37. Committees will report to the Recycling Committee at quarterly meetings to ensure that guidelines of the program have been adequately followed.