[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 7, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E25-E26]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE GREEN SCHOOLS ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 6, 2009

  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand here today to introduce 
legislation with Congressman Christopher Carney (D-PA) which will 
provide healthier and more productive environments for students.
  As energy prices soar and state budgets shrink, schools around the 
country need more assistance than ever to keep afloat. Congress can 
provide a commonsense way to help schools achieve fiscal sustainability 
by helping them to reach energy sustainability through energy efficient 
and other green improvements.
  According to the independent U.S. Green Buildings Council which 
established a nationally recognized green school certification program, 
the LEED rating system, green schools on average save $100,000 per 
year. This is enough to hire two new teachers, buy 500 new computers or 
purchase 5,000 new textbooks. In fact, if all new school construction 
or school renovations went green, energy savings alone would total $20 
billion over the next 10 years.
  Green schools also provide better environments for our children, 
improving student achievement and health. Students at LEED certified 
schools perform 20 percent better on reading tests and 24 percent 
better on math tests than the average student. There are nearly 40 
percent fewer asthma occurrences at green schools, contributing to the 
decreased number of sick days students experience.
  Providing green school improvements are extremely cost effective. 
Construction costs on average less than $3 per square foot more to 
build, yet saves roughly $12 per square foot in energy and water 
savings.
  Some schools are already investing in green school technology to take 
advantage of all the benefits it provides. I am proud that a school

[[Page E26]]

in my Congressional District of northern Illinois, Thomas Middle 
School, installed a one-kilowatt solar array on its roof in November 
2007 with a $10,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community 
Foundation. The photovoltaic panel produced enough energy to date to 
offset more than 730 pounds of carbon dioxide. The output so far is 
equivalent to the energy needed to power 6 homes for one day, or 
operate one TV for 2,565 hours.
  Thomas Middle School teachers also use the solar array data to help 
teach students about the importance of renewable energy. Classes use 
the information from the solar panels in experiments about energy 
conservation and environmental protection.
  I applaud Thomas Middle School Principal Tom O'Rourke and science 
department chair Jay Bingaman for taking such an initiative to improve 
the school, environment and education of their students.
  We are introducing the Green Schools Act to encourage schools all 
around the country to follow the example of Thomas Middle School. This 
legislation provides up to $10,000 in matching grants for schools to 
undertake green construction and improvement projects. The bill would 
also reauthorize the Qualified Zone Academy bonds program, which is 
used to fund renovations and repairs at schools in low-income 
neighborhoods. The bill would require that any improvements or 
rehabilitations be energy efficient. Since its establishment in 1997, 
the QZAB program has provided nearly $1.7 billion for school 
improvements projects.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill to improve 
the health and education of our children and provide financial security 
to schools.

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