Cincinnati Schools' Environmentally Sound Building Featured in National Education Magazine

Cincinnati Schools' Green Renovationnatural building materials, noxious-free cleaning
Cincinnati School's has in effect a long term $1 billionproducts and art supplies, as well as natural water
building project that will help to renovate and rebuildfiltration systems."
many of its older buildings. One Cincinnati School 'sThe article discusses the five key areas that the
elementary school, Pleasant Ridge Elementary School,Cincinnati Schools' Pleasant Ridge Elementary School
has been recently featured in District Administration.project uses innovative techniques or old-fashioned
This national magazine focuses on issues in K-12common sense to improve the building design. The
education. The article from the August issueCincinnati Schools' Pleasant Ridge Elementary School
discusses the growing concern and interest in greenproject will improve the lighting of the schools in
building and environmentally friendly construction. Theseveral ways. The lights will feature sensors that will
article states that even though the upfront cost canautomatically turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
be more the long term benefits of greenCurrently Cincinnati's City Hall is using a similar system
construction are quite clear. The construction ofthat has greatly reduced energy costs. The Cincinnati
Cincinnati Schools' Pleasant Ridge Elementary School isSchools' Pleasant Ridge Elementary School will also
not only a gain for green construction strategies buthave photovoltaic panels, which convert solar energy
it also teaches the students important lessons aboutinto electricity. Saving energy with heating and cooling
the environment and responsibility.systems is also a concern. All the new and renovated
Cincinnati Schools' Pleasant Ridge Elementary SchoolCincinnati Schools will have central air systems. The
will be the first LEED School in Cincinnati Schools uponarticle states that, "Air conditioned classrooms
its completion. The LEED Green Building Ratingprevent pollution from outside, and in the end, help
System was devised by the U.S. Green Buildingasthmatic children breathe easier, he says. And
Council which has helped Cincinnati Schools write itsmoisture from hot, humid days can also cause ceiling
new building plans and codes. The article refers topads to buckle or gym floors to sag"
the work of Ginny Frazier as one of the majorAnother area the article talks about is indoor air
influences on the Pleasant Ridge Elementary Schoolpollution. Cincinnati Schools' Pleasant Ridge Elementary
project. A private citizen who lives in the area, FrazierSchool project is using less carpet in the design in
is the head of a local group that advocatesorder to help reduce pollutants indoors. Plans for
environmentally friendly building. She went to thereducing the amount of water use in the Cincinnati
Cincinnati Schools' authorities and administrators withSchools' would also be based on sensors that detect
proposals on how the school in her neighborhoodmovement around sinks and toilets. The article
could be rebuilt using green materials andcomments on the concerns that the Cincinnati
environmentally friendly tactics. Some of the ideasSchools' Pleasant Ridge Elementary School project
she proposed included according to the article,has in this area. The main concern is in using faucets
"geothermal heating so the new building uses thethat have an automatic shut off system or a push
earth's temperature for cooling and heating, usingbutton system.