Reading, Riding, and Retrofit: Schools Leading the Way to Sustainability

Buncombe County and Asheville, North Carolina

Federal Funding: $499,500
Project Timeline: February 2010 – June 2012

Project Summary
Community Characteristics
Program Results/Estimated Results
Project Websites
Media Coverage
Photo

Project Summary

Implementing Energy and Transportation Efficiency Improvements Starts in the Schools

Land-Of-Sky has awarded sixteen micro-grants to Green Teams in schools throughout the region to develop projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve energy, and reduce operational costs. Buncombe County has completed lighting retrofits in 31 school gymnasiums and are beginning to see energy savings. Asheville City Schools have also completed upgrades of the lighting system, upgrades of electronic interfaces and will continue to install solar hot water systems. Energy efficiency projects in Evergreen Charter and Francine Delaney New School for Children Charter have also made progress. The schools’ energy saving retrofit projects and Green Team energy reduction, recycling, and sustainable food projects were showcased in community engagement events. Additionally, the state is developing the NC Green Schools Recognition Program as an extension of the regional RRR program.

To support Buncombe's growing green industry, the Land-of-Sky Regional Planning Council developed Reading, Riding, and Retrofit, a collaborative program that provides city and county school systems with tools to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, conserve energy, and reduce operational costs while educating students and the community. This project uses two strategies to achieve these goals:

funding school building and transportation energy efficiency retrofits while implementing sustainable policies and procedures, and
Mobilizing "Green Teams" to undertake school-based sustainability projects.

To implement energy efficiency retrofits in school buildings, the Land-of-Sky Council will coordinate energy efficiency training workshops with facilities, maintenance, and custodial staff. The Council will direct sub-grants to school retrofits that meet cost-effectiveness, GHG reduction, and energy use reduction criteria.

At the same time, transportation planning staff will work with schools to identify transportation energy efficiency improvements. The project will also institutionalize sustainable policies to ensure greater use of recycled and renewable products, that new appliances meet energy efficiency guidelines, and that lunch programs include a greater share of locally-grown foods.

Green Teams composed of students, teachers, parents, and custodial staff will provide support, education, and outreach for the Reading, Riding, and Retrofit project. These Teams will conduct Environmental Leadership Projects such as school-wide recycling competitions, student-organized energy audits, commuter challenges, community gardens, composting programs, or environmental art contests.

The project will provide benefits from reduced GHG emissions and cost savings, job training opportunities, increased community awareness of sustainability issues, and improved health and educational experiences for students. It will also strengthen existing partnerships between the Council and many stakeholders including participating schools and other energy-related coalitions and projects in the region. The Land-of-Sky Council views the Reading, Riding, and Retrofit project as an important first step towards a far-reaching sustainability plan for schools across the County.

Community Characteristics

Population:	75,000 (Asheville) 223,000 (Buncombe County)
Area:	41 square miles (Asheville) 656 square miles (Buncombe County)
Government Type:	Regional Council
Community Type:	Urban
Median Household Income:	$43,805

Program Results/Estimated Results

Expected GHG Reductions:	1,129 metric tons CO₂e annually
Expected Electricity Savings:	1,672 MWh annually
Expected Natural Gas Savings:	82,850 therms annually
Expected Transportation Fuel Savings:	90,100 gallons annually
Expected Waste Reduction:	109 short tons annually
Expected Cost Savings:	$552,000 annually