After an almost two-year collaborative process among students, teachers and staff, Stevenson High School recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold-level certification for existing buildings from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Stevenson is the first public high school in the U.S. to receive this honor.

To receive LEED certification, buildings are awarded points on a 100-point scale. The rating system measures several criteria, including water efficiency, sustainable sites, indoor environmental quality and energy and atmosphere.

“We want Stevenson to be a model for the community,” said Dave Wilms, the school’s sustainability coordinator. “You pay a bit more upfront for these greener changes, but you can make a bigger impact in the long run.”

“Stevenson has always had an eye on sustainability," said Mark Michelini, assistant superintendent for business services.

Stevenson’s Green Committee, comprising more than 40 students, faculty and staff, devised ways to make the school greener for the certification. Created in 2007, the committee has implemented such changes as ending the use of Styrofoam in the cafeterias and installing green roofs.

“The entire certification process was like an obstacle course,” School Board member Terry Moons said. “We just had to get our business partners on board and figure out what we could do to receive the LEED status.”

The school worked with Siemens USA to automate the HVAC and lighting systems. OWP/P Cannon Design, an engineering and architecture design firm, designed Stevenson’s buildings to be energy-efficient. For example, the school’s Forum features numerous windows, allowing natural light to shine inside.

School Board member Merv Roberts noted that the challenge facing Stevenson was unique. “Stevenson is really the size of a small college,” Roberts said. There are more than 4,200 students enrolled, and more than 800 faculty and staff are employed. “There aren’t very many high schools of our size. And even if they are our size, their locations might mean they have different energy costs. A school in California, for instance, will have different energy costs than we will.”

The green changes made to Stevenson benefited both students and taxpayers.

“We wanted to make these great changes to show people that they can be green at home, too,” Michelini said. As an example, he said that Stevenson has carpets made from 70 percent recycled materials.

“We also wanted to make these green changes so we can show that we are good financial stewards,” he added.

Wilms noted that it was the students who found many approaches to making the school more environmentally friendly.

“The students really took a team approach to finding ways the school can become greener,” Wilms said. “They feel like they can truly move Stevenson. They can make changes, and I think that’s a great message.”

Students also studied water flow and conducted surveys on transportation methods to and from school.

“I think it’s so exciting for Stevenson to receive this award,” junior Akila Khan said. Khan, who is considering pursuing a career in environmental science, was also a member of the Green Committee.

Some of the changes that were implemented included providing alternatives to garbage cans. “If you don’t have an option for discarding of an empty container or a piece of paper, then you’ll probably just put it in the trash,” Michelini said. Recycling bins were added throughout the campus.

“Adding the bins was a win-win for everyone,” Michelini said. “Recycling is the right thing to do, and it saves money along the way.”

Stevenson’s registration packets, which previously were mailed to every student, were made available only online. “Our registration packets were 35 pages long, and one went to each of our 4,200 students,” Michelini said. “No more.” The school also uses online documents whenever possible.

“We have schedules for the boilers, chillers, and the lights,” Michelini said. “We started asking ‘Do we need lights on at night? Do we need boilers on all weekend?’ These changes helped us save tons of kilowatt hours.”

The school also looked for greener transportation methods, and encouraged students, faculty, and staff to carpool, walk, or bike when possible.

The West Building has a touch screen that monitors how much energy is used throughout Stevenson's campus. It also includes features on the advantages of low-flow toilets, and using beet juice instead of salt on roads and sidewalks in winter.

“The energy savings we’ve generated has more than covered the cost of the process. We are happy that students were part of the process,” Moons said. “We’re also eager to share our knowledge with other schools.”

“I hope other schools go for the LEED certification,” Roberts said. “Even if they don’t get certified, it’s important to be part of the process of becoming more environmentally friendly.”

Gold certification is the second-highest certification of the four-tier LEED rating system, with platinum being the highest.

“We are always looking at how we can be better,” Roberts said. “Where can we improve?”

“This is about more than just a plaque on the wall,” Wilms said. “We also raised the bar.”