New Edition of High-Performance Schools Book Goes Beyond Green

Washington, D.C. Schools that have superior acoustics and lighting, accessible classrooms, safe and secure campuses, and other "high-performance" features are among the subjects of the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council's (SBIC) High-Performance School Buildings Resource and Strategy Guide. SBIC is proud to announce the publication and release of the third edition of this nationally acclaimed and easy-to-read book. The guidebook describes the characteristics and benefits of high-performance school buildings and details a process that ensures school planners get the best design possible within their budgets.

Written primarily for those who make decisions about the design and construction of K-12 schools, the 96-page Guide is useful for community leaders, parents, teachers, architects and engineers, and anyone else advocating for school buildings that are cost-effective, sustainable, and healthy and productive for students, teachers, and staff.

The book is organized into three core sections. Section 1 provides an overview and two interrelated discussions: What Is a High-Performance School Building? and Why Is a High-Performance School Building Valuable? Section 2 is the Process Guide, which provides issue-specific questions for decision makers to ask their architectural/engineering teams at each stage of the design process in order to drive projects toward the highest levels of performance. Section 3 describes 17 key "Building Blocks" that, when integrated, result in a high-performance building.

The newly issued third edition of the High-Performance School Buildings Resource and Strategy Guide goes Beyond GreenTM to address seven other key project objectives-cost effectiveness, accessibility, productivity and health, historic preservation, safety and security, functionality, and aesthetics. New in this edition is a foreword that introduces SBIC's concept of Beyond GreenTM, a special focus area on accessibility in K-12 schools, and a Beyond GreenTM case study of Radnor Middle School in Pennsylvania. The edition also contains new photographs, updated Web links, and extended resource sections for those looking for more detail on specific topics.

The book's principal author is Deane Evans, FAIA, Director of the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Center for Architecture and Building Science Research. Mr. Evans is an accomplished architect with over 25 years of experience in architectural design, construction technology, and building performance research. He has served as an instructor for SBIC's High-Performance School Buildings workshops and is currently serving as the Council's Vice Chair.

The Resource and Strategy Guide was originally published in 2000 as part of SBIC's High-Performance School Buildings Education Campaign, developed with support from SBIC member Southern California Edison, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Education, and others. The third edition is underwritten in part the following SBIC members: BASF Corporation, the International Masonry Institute, and the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association.

The High-Performance School Buildings Resource and Strategy Guide is available online at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001iAGmMTl_nrSAUJZIGsfb7-37szLaBf-LWnqukjyVYWznAbklgPLjtFqhwubw_UxSodab0NjXNKxkzqiFu2sgkpn3Tcv6VRyl7nLpodXCDOQ5d51V3wKIrQ==or by calling SBIC at 202-628-7400. SBIC members are entitled to a 15 percent discount. Special bulk pricing is also available for those who would like to distribute the book to their constituents. The Council offers a two-day workshop based on the Resource and Strategy Guide. Please contact Sophia Greenbaum for more information on how to bring a workshop to your area.

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The Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC) is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to unite and inspire the buildings industry toward higher performance - through education, outreach, advocacy and the mutual exchange of ideas. Council membership is open to private and public organizations and individuals who share this mission. For more information about the Council's products, services, and members, visit www.sbicouncil.org or call 202-628-7400.

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