For Immediate Release
Contact: Tara Kennon, 312-419-1810
tara@healthyschoolscampaign.org

Legislation and Individual Leadership Champion Healthy, Energy-Efficient Schools

Chicago, March 28, 2007 -- Healthy, energy-efficient schools are in the spotlight this week, as the Illinois Senate prepares to vote on legislation that would provide incentives for green building choices and the Healthy Schools Campaign presents a dynamic lunchtime event with national and local experts on school environments.

"It's exciting to see so much activity in the healthy school construction landscape," said Mark Bishop, deputy director of the Healthy Schools Campaign, an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to healthy school environments. "We’re seeing change at a policy level with this legislation and at an individual level with the response to this event."

The Energy-Efficient School Construction Act, SB 505, would use the existing school construction grant program and categories to allow the Illinois State Board of Education and Capital Development Board to increase the school construction grant index by 5 percent for projects that meet specific green building standards. The 5 percent grant increase would cover the initial additional cost of incorporating building features designed with educational objectives and energy savings in mind.

Individual leaders in healthy school environments will speak to local parents, architects and community members at HSC's Lunch & Learn: Making Your School Building Healthy & Efficient at noon on Thursday, March 29.

Speakers include:

• Tracee Binion, who became active in healthy school re-design after contracting asthma as a result of dangerously polluted indoor air at the school where she was a teacher.

• Stuart Brodsky, who has dedicated his 21-year career at OWP/P Architects in Chicago to the design and planning of educational facilities.

• Janice Spears, who spent 16 years involved in school administration and construction, and took the lead in building the "green" middle-senior high school in Cuba, Illinois.

To learn more about the Energy-Efficient School Construction Act, please visit http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/eeschools

To learn more about the Lunch & Learn, please visit http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/events/2007/healthy_efficient.php

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The Healthy Schools Campaign, an independent not-for-profit organization, is the leading authority on healthy school environments and a voice for people who care about our environment, our children and education. Our mission is to advocate for policies and model programs that allow students and staff members to learn and work in a healthy school environment.