NEEP Honors Claiborne Pell Elementary School and Archie R. Cole Middle School for Green & Healthy Design

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) are honoring two Rhode Island schools that were recently verified as Northeast Collaborative for High Performance Schools (NE CHPS): Claiborne Pell Elementary School in Newport, and Archie R. Cole Middle School in East Greenwich.

The event takes place Friday, November 1, 4-6 PM at the Claiborne Pell Elementary School and is being held in conjunction with the NEEEA Conference and Sustainable Schools Summit.

To be a NE-CHPS school means that all work done in schools complies with the highest standards for healthy and sustainable design and construction practices.

The Claiborne Pell Elementary School has more efficient faucets inside and rainwater harvesting outside which has reduced water usage 42%; building materials that are 14% recycled content and 52% locally produced; and has incorporated the green building approach as a learning tool in the curriculum.

At the Archie R. Cole Middle School, over 80% of construction and demolition waste was recycled. Spaces throughout the building have been designed for minimal background noise and reverberation. In addition to a quiet mechanical system, the lighting, plumbing and other operating systems are designed to be unobtrusive, so students can focus on learning. The school was also constructed with healthy dining in mind; the kitchen is equipped for on-site “scratch” full cooking service, allowing the district to provide an enhanced range of nutritional offerings. Filtered water bottle filling stations are provided at the Cafeteria for a no-cost healthy beverage choice.

Since 2007, Rhode Island has been a national leader in the green schools movement. Rhode Island is one of the only states that require all school construction projects – from small renovations to new construction – to comply with the NE-CHPS Protocol.

In July of this year at the New England ‘Education Built to Last’ Facilities Best Practice Tour, at Providence Career and Technical Academy, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said, “Green schools are better for the kids and cheaper to run, and they create jobs.”

“Rhode Island has been a leader in the Region when it comes to helping communities build and maintain green schools,” said NEEP Executive Director Sue Coakley. “States such as Massachusetts and Connecticut are following Rhode Island’s lead by constructing school buildings that are built to at least a minimum standard ensuring they are healthy and energy efficient.”

For more information about NE-CHPS, visit http://www.neep.org/public-policy/energy-efficient-buildings/high-performance-schools/northeast-chps.

For more information about the November 1 event, visit http://www.neeea.org/conference/neeea-2013.html and choose the 'Claiborne Pell School Reception' under the Friday field trip options.

Stay informed

Stay up to date with the latest NEEP and industry news, policies, and trends to your inbox every so often.