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Bay Roberts, one of the members of the Greening Boulder Schools group, sent us an update with their progress to date: BVSD has hired an engineering company called Brendle Group from Fort Collins to help them formulate a Sustainability Management System or SMS. The overall goal of the SMS is to provide a cohesive and overarching policy which will direct BVSD to operate in a manner that maximizes energy efficiency and protects the enviroment. The SMS will provide direction for decision making, inspire commitment and will be the foundation for planning and action for every decision BVSD makes. The SMS will cover all aspects of operations and all departments will participate. Brendle has helped formulate SMS working documents for Poudre School District, Colorado College and Academy School District 20 (Colorado Springs). A draft document of the SMS for BVSD is scheduled to be completed by June 2009. Brendle emphasized that the SMS should be a WORKING DOCUMENT- one that should be referred to often.
Brendle Group explained the process of creating the SMS:
1) An advisory group will meet in Feb, April (develop vision and goals) and May (develop strategies).
2) Brendle will conduct interviews with the following focus groups: business services, bond/maintenance, maintenance and operations, transportation, curriculum/schools, IT and communications, community.
Information from these groups will be compiled and taken back to the advisory group. Brendle is meeting with the Bond focus group first because the urgency of phase 2 and 3 construction at targeted BVSD schools.
3) technical specification will be developed and building energy assessments will be completed on 6 BVSD buildings. Energy audits will be conducted through Xcel. The 6 buildings are: Coal Creek E.M., Eisenhower E.M., Centennial M.S., Boulder H.S., Nederland M.S./H.S., and the Education Center. These buildings represent a range in age and use and the information collected from the audits will help inform the SMS process.
4) data on baseline conditions will be collected. This includes quantifying greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy consumption, solid waste generation, etc. Ghita Carroll , Sustainability Corrdinator for BVSD, is working with Brendle Engineering to create this inventory of BVSD resource use and has picked the 2007/2008 FY as the baseline year. She will start with electricity, natural gas, propane, water, fleet fuels, solid waste and recycling, and will expand to other areas, time permitting.
5) BVSD now has a website where they will post information, minutes and background materials for the SMS process. The website is: http://bvsd.editme.com/Home
6) draft form of SMS will be approved by Chris King, superintendant and BVSD school board.
Parent and community representatives from Greening Boulder Schools are currently participating in the SMS focus groups.
Bay Roberts
for Greening Boulder Schools
303-447-8836
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