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The 2018 Green California Schools and Community Colleges Summit and Exposition comes to the Pasadena Convention Center October 29-30. General session speakers will include author and Green Schoolyards America founder Sharon Danks and State Architect Chet Widom. An Expo with over 100 companies, and dozens of educational sessions, will highlight best practices and new technologies for green school programs. Keynotes and exhibit hall are free. For more information and to register, go to www.green-technology.org or call 626-577-5700.

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Statewide Green Schools Conference Coming to Pasadena

The 2018 Green California Schools and Community Colleges Summit and Exposition comes to the Pasadena Convention Center October 29-30. The summit is a showcase for the best practices and the innovative technologies behind successful green school programs.

The opening session on October 29 will feature author and Green Schoolyards America founder Sharon Danks. State Architect Chet Widom will speak in a keynote breakfast on October 30. An Expo with over 100 companies offers attendees exposure to a wide range of products and services for schools – from electric buses to green cleaning supplies. Concurrent education sessions and Pre-Summit training will focus on topics including energy efficiency, water conservation, electric school buses, Zero Net Energy buildings, funding sources and environmental literacy. On October 30, New Buildings Institute will present a half-day workshop on ZNE school retrofits. The annual Leadership Awards reception, honoring programs on California campuses, will take place on October 29.

Keynotes and exhibit hall are free. For more information and to register, go to www.green-technology.org or call 626-577-5700.

Short Article(317 words)

Education Leaders to Gather for Green Schools Summit

The 2018 Green California Schools and Community Colleges Summit and Exposition comes to the Pasadena Convention Center October 29-30. The nation’s first statewide green schools event, the conference brings together the public and private sector professionals who are driving the progress of green programs in the nation’s largest public education system.

Offering an Expo with over 100 companies offering green products and services, education sessions, and special events including a Leadership Awards reception, the summit is a unique annual opportunity for school stakeholders to connect, share best practices and discover new ideas and technologies.

The opening session on October 29 will feature Green Schoolyards America founder Sharon Danks. A designer, researcher and the author of Asphalts to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation, Danks has traveled the world to study hundreds of school grounds and to share best practices. State Architect Chet Widom will speak in a keynote breakfast on October 30. Widom’s office oversees approval for all plans to build and upgrade California schools. A former President of both the National American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the California Council AIA, Chet is recognized as an international leader in the profession.

Dozens of concurrent education sessions at the summit will highlight strategies behind successful green school programs. Sessions on energy efficiency, water conservation, Zero Net Energy buildings, environmental literacy, funding sources and much more will be led by green school innovators and experts. A half-day workshop on October 30 from New Buildings Institute will focus on ZNE school retrofits.

On October 29, the Summit’s annual Leadership Awards reception will recognize achievements on California campuses. For the third year, the awards program will also include recognition of Zero Net Energy projects on California school campuses.

More InformationRegistration for the keynotes, Expo and Leadership Awards are free. For more information and to register, go to www.green-technology.org or call 626-577-5700.

Article(701 words)

The Best of Green Schools: Statewide Conference Comes to Pasadena

The 2018 Green California Schools Summit and Community Colleges Summit comes to the Pasadena Convention Center October 29-30. The nation’s first statewide green schools event, the conference focuses on the strategies, best practices and technologies needed to create healthy, high performance learning environments for California students.

“California won’t reach its ambitious climate goals without the public sector—and especially without public schools—leading the way,” said Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction and co-chair of the Summit’s advisory board. “That’s what this conference is all about—the very best of green schools. Up and down our great state, in urban, suburban, and rural settings, green schools are leading the way in resource conservation, health and wellness, and environmental literacy.”

The opening session on October 29 will feature Green Schoolyards America founder Sharon Danks. A designer, researcher and the author of Asphalts to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation, Danks has traveled the world to study hundreds of school grounds and to share best practices. State Architect Chet Widom will speak in a keynote breakfast on October 30. Widom’s office oversees approval for all plans to build and upgrade California schools. A former President of both the National American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the California Council AIA, Chet is recognized as an international leader in the profession.

Electric School Buses to Zero Net Energy BuildingsThe $9 billion statewide school construction and renovation bond that was passed in 2016, in combination with billions more in local bonds, has opened the door to a new wave of facility improvements. Continuous innovations in technology, from LED lighting to building energy management systems and new materials for insulation, have raised the bar for school projects.

When the first schools summit was held, in 2007, school officials were unsure that “green building,” no matter how desirable, could be accomplished without straining their facility budgets. Over the last decade that question has been answered. Today, an increasing number of districts have set their sights on the goal of Zero Net Energy buildings, facilities that use grid energy, but also produce energy onsite and over the course of the year contribute as much electricity to the grid as they use.

Electrification of transportation in California is a vital step toward attaining the state’s goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality, and schools are playing an increasing role in this evolution.

The Air Resources Board has made it a priority to get diesel vehicles off the road, as much to reduce health hazards from air pollution as to address climate impacts. This means diesel school buses are prime targets for replacement. The prospects for change are good, as a new generation of heavy duty vehicles is now available with the range necessary to cover school bus routes.

Significant funding is now available to help schools purchase electric buses, and vehicles with enough range to cover school bus routes are now available. A variety of funding and incentive programs are also available for EV charging infrastructure, and these will be discussed in sessions at the Summit.

Sessions on energy efficiency, water conservation, Zero Net Energy buildings, environmental literacy, funding sources and much more will be led by green school innovators and experts.

Hands-On with New Products and ServicesOne of the most popular features of the conference is its Expo, featuring scores of products and services for school sustainability programs. The 2018 Expo will include everything from electric school buses and charging stations to flooring, design services, roofing and lighting.

Sponsors for the conference include GreenPower Bus, Rain Bird, AEP Span, Quality Environmental, Inc., Alquest Technologies, Inc., Harley Ellis Devereaux, DLR Group, Southern California Edison, REC Solar, NanaWall Systems, Balfour Beatty and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Leadership AwardsOn October 29, the summit’s annual Leadership Awards reception will recognize achievements in categories ranging from green building and energy efficiency to curriculum. The awards were established by the Summit’s Advisory Board to honor individuals and school districts on the leading edge of school sustainability. For the third year, the reception will also include awards to Zero Net Energy projects on California campuses.

EV Fleet ForumThe summit will also include an EV Fleet Forum on October 29, which will focus on current mandates and funding for fleet electrification. The state has targeted diesel vehicles as priorities for replacement, as much because of the health hazards associated with their emissions as to reduce greenhouse gases. Hundreds of millions of dollars are now available to support electric bus purchases and charging infrastructure.

More Information

Registration for the keynotes, Expo and Leadership Awards are free. For more information and to register, go to www.green-technology.org or call 626-577-5700.

For more about the Summit, or to register online, visit www.green-technology.org. Early registration discounts are available, and additional discounts are available for groups of four or more. For details, call 626.577.5700.