Loveland High School in Clermont County and North Adams Elementary in Adams County claimed national honors out the three schools recognized by the state of Ohio.

A partnership between the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) and Ohio Department of Health joined the Environmental Education Council of Ohio (EECO) in selecting state nominees, which also included St. Ignatius High School in Cuyahoga County.

“I extend my congratulations to these innovative Ohio schools, their educators and school community,” state Superintendent Stan Heffner said in a statement. “These schools are an excellent example of the great achievements being made in the state by fostering environmental awareness, providing a collaborative learning experience and instilling a commitment to the local community.”

Loveland High School in Loveland has launched “comprehensive” programs supporting environmental protections. To reduce green house gases, the school district implemented an Energy Improvement Plan and obtained $6 million in interest-free financing under the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“It was a first of its kind to be completed in Ohio and the sixth in the nation,” ODE said, noting the school’s reduction in school bus emissions; water use and efficiency programs; elimination of hazardous waste from science labs; efforts to become an electronic savvy, “paperless” school; and student recycling activities.

North Adams Elementary School in Seamans opened in 2009 and has since become a leader in environmental sustainability and “green” awareness in the school and community. Its facilities have a variety of environmental features: a geothermal heating and cooling system, daylight “harvesting,” and variable room lighting. In May 2011, the school received its first Energystar label and in June 2011 installed 1,250 solar roof panels. Other programs include support for alternative school transportation; water-efficient landscaping; low-flowing plumbing; U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Schools designation; and superior indoor air quality.

St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, though not chosen for the national award, “has committed itself, in policy and practice, to a more environmentally responsible role as an educational institution,” ODE said.
The school is pursuing LEED construction certification; “zero waste” facilities; high-efficiency lighting and low-flow plumbing; and minimal use of pesticides and fertilizers.

“The largest and most successful efforts that have been undertaken have been by the initiation and effort of the students,” ODE said of St. Ignatius’ ecological programs. Additional efforts focus on food service and recycling; local organic produce; and Green Team coordination of a community garden supporting local charities, including large-scale composting.

Ohio is one of 29 states participating in the 2011-2012 pilot year for the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDOE) Green Ribbon Schools program.

“The EECO was proud to collaborate on this effort to recognize Ohio schools that are true examples of environmental stewardship,” the group’s executive director, Brenda Metcalf, said in a statement. “It was a rewarding experience working with these schools through the application process and an honor to nominate them for the national designation. These schools have put forth a tremendous effort to maintaining a ‘green-friendly’ school environment.”

Ohio schools receiving an honorable mention include Berkshire Local Schools in Burton, Geauga County; Mayfield City Schools in Mayfield Hts., Cuyahoga County; Medina Christian Academy in Medina, Medina County; and Ontario Local Schools in Ontario, Richland County.

Last fall, OSFC recognized Ohio as the national leader in LEED certification, with nearly 300 qualifying school facility projects at that time.

Following the Green Ribbon Schools announcement, The BlueGreen Alliance, a national partnership of labor unions and environmental organizations, released a statement in recognition of honorees in Ohio and other states.

“The BlueGreen Alliance congratulates the first-ever Green Ribbon Schools, a recognition that we hope will continue for many years to come. Modern, greener schools in America mean healthier classrooms for our children to learn in, as well as good jobs for American workers. The communities surrounding these schools should be proud of the students, teachers, administrators, and officials making decisions every day that are reducing their school’s environmental impact and providing effective environmental education that will prepare students to succeed in the 21^st century economy,” said Executive Director David Foster.

“To prepare the workforce of the next generation, we have to make a commitment to ensure our students have both a good learning environment and a well-rounded education that includes learning about the environment. We must also make our schools modern and green, which will reduce energy and water use, ensure safe and healthy air for our students, teachers and staff, and create good jobs for American workers — those who are doing the work to make our schools better and those providing efficient goods in the supply chain.”

                                    Ohio Statehouse to Commemorate Death of Abraham Lincoln

A special commemoration of the death of Abraham Lincoln will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, April 27 in the Statehouse Rotunda. The day will be marked with a repose of Lincoln re-enactment and a photo exhibit. The event is free and open to the public.

Because April 29, the day Lincoln’s body lay in state at the Ohio Statehouse in 1865, falls on Sunday, the annual event will take place on the Friday before.

The 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A, a group of Civil War re-enactors, will provide an honor guard over a representation of Abraham Lincoln’s coffin and catafalque in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda. A changing of the guard is scheduled to take place every half hour, with Battery A members standing guard from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Statehouse Rotunda — the exact spot where 147 years earlier military sentinels of another generation guarded the coffin of assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln died in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 15, 1865 after being shot a day earlier by assassin John Wilkes Booth. During the next 20 days, Lincoln’s body traveled 1,700 miles by train from Washington, D.C. to his burial place in Springfield, IL where he was buried on May 4, 1865. Along the way, state funerals were conducted in 12 major cities of the time. Columbus was the ninth city to host this event.

The doors to the Ohio Statehouse opened on April 29, 1865 shortly after 9 a.m. A memorial service was held on the east plaza at 3 p.m. By 6 p.m. more than 50,000 people had filed through the Statehouse Rotunda to see the president’s coffin. This was the highest attended event in Statehouse history until Nov. 2, 2008 when then-presidential candidate Barack Obama drew 60,000 people to a rally on the Statehouse grounds.

In addition to the re-enactment, an exhibit of images from the Library of Congress on Lincoln’s assassination and the men and women named as conspirators along with their fate will be on view in the Statehouse Rotunda. This exhibit is for mature audiences.

Ohioans Can Now Access Child Support Information Online

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) recently announced a new website that will give families 24-hour access to their child support case information online, so they can look up information about their cases themselves, without having to call or visit a local office.

“Our new Child Support Customer Service Web Portal gives families a quick, easy and secure way to find out information about their cases, and it also will help reduce administrative work at our county offices,” said ODJFS Director Michael Colbert in a statement. “We are extremely excited to be able to offer this service, and think families will find it to be very helpful.”

The portal allows families to access their recent payment activity, as well as their payment information for the previous two years. It also provides a link to frequently asked questions about Ohio’s child support program, such as how to establish paternity, how to establish a child support order, and options for making and receiving
payments.

Future improvements to the site will provide a way for families to communicate directly with their county child support enforcement agencies, and also a way for them to apply for services online, such as paternity establishment, support enforcement, or a request for a review and adjustment of a child support order.

In Ohio, child support orders can be reviewed and possibly adjusted every 36 months. The amount owed could be reduced if the parent responsible for paying it becomes unemployed through no fault of his or her own for at least 30 days or experiences a 30 percent reduction in gross income.
For more information about Ohio’s child support program or to access the new Child Support Customer Service Web Portal, visit www.jfs.ohio.gov/ocs or call or visit the local county child support enforcement agency (CSEA).

The ODJFS Office of Child Support collects and disburses nearly $2 billion annually to more than 1 million Ohio children.

From net-zero schools to game-changing policies,
recipients recognized for efforts to green U.S. school infrastructure

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 12, 2011) –The U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools, working in conjunction with its founding sponsor, United Technologies Corp., today released its inaugural Best of Green Schools 2011 list recognizing school administrators and government leaders in 10 categories for their efforts to create sustainable learning environments.
Recipient schools and regions from across the nation – from K-12 to higher education – were recognized for a variety of sustainable, cost-cutting measures, including energy conservation, record numbers of LEED® certified buildings and collaborative platforms and policies to green U.S. school infrastructure. Their commitments to measurable and innovative sustainable building goals serve as models for schools and campuses everywhere.

“The Best Of Green Schools 2011 recipients represent high notes for the green schools movement over the past year and were selected from the thousands of examples of leadership we have seen from schools, districts, campuses, cities and states,‖ said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. ―Tomorrow’s future leaders are in school today. This year’s designees recognize the importance of educating high-performing, 21st century leaders in high-performing, 21st century classrooms. Why green our schools? Three words: education, sustainability and jobs.”

According to published reports, green schools save on average $100,000 per year on operating costs — enough to hire two new teachers, buy 200 new computers, or purchase 5,000 textbooks. On average, green schools use 33 percent less energy and 32 percent less water than conventionally constructed schools, and if all new U.S. school construction and renovation went green today, the total energy savings alone would be $20 billion over the next 10 years.

“Our commitment to green schools is a reflection of our belief in the importance of energy efficiency, sustainability and education,‖ said Sandy Diehl, Vice President, Integrated Building Solutions, United Technologies Corp., and a Center for Green Schools advisory board member. ―These leaders are taking action today to help improve our schools by saving energy and tax dollars and by creating healthier environments for students and teachers.”

Recipients

Moment for the Movement – U.S. Department of Education, Green Ribbon Schools: Green Ribbon Schools is the first comprehensive and coordinated federal initiative to focus on the intersection of environment, health and education.
Region – Sacramento area: Mayor Kevin Johnson has led the charge to bring together mayors and superintendents from across the Northern California region to create a $100 million revolving loan fund for green school retrofits.
State – Ohio: With 315 LEED registered and certified projects, including 19 schools registered in 2011, Ohio leads the nation with more green school projects underway than any other state.
City – Philadelphia: The School District of Philadelphia made significant steps in 2011 toward the greening of the city’s 291 public schools.
School – Lake Mills Middle School (Lake Mills, WI): In March 2011, Lake Mills Middle School became the first public school in the nation to achieve LEED Platinum certification.
Higher Ed Innovator – University of Texas at Dallas: The University’s new LEED Platinum Student Services Building, which was the recipient of this year’s Innovation in Green Building Award, was designed to improve departmental efficiency and interaction, includes terra-cotta shades on the building’s exterior to provide a unique energy efficient shading strategy and was built $1.1 million under budget.
Collaborators – Kentucky Reps. Jim DeCesare (R) and Mary Lou Marzian (D): This bipartisan team has led Kentucky’s green school efforts and is a model for teaming on green school collaboration. Together, they’ve worked with their colleagues in the Kentucky General Assembly to unanimously adopt resolutions in support of green schools, and have encouraged other states to work across party lines on similar efforts.
Convener – Boston: In September 2011, Mayor Menino hosted the Research Summit on Childhood Health and School Buildings, which brought together a team of interdisciplinary researchers to explore the connection between school facilities and student health. Boston’s public school district is also home to one of the first Center for Green Schools Fellows – a sustainability coordinator who will work within the school district for three years, bringing together faculty, administration, facilities staff, teachers and students to advance whole-district sustainability initiatives.
Policy makers – District of Columbia City Council: In May 2010, the Washington, D.C. council unanimously passed the Healthy Schools Act of 2010, building upon the District’s existing LEED Silver requirement and encouraging schools to achieve LEED Gold certification. 2011 updates to the bill included participation in the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools program, making D.C. the first – before any state – to sign up for the voluntary federal program.
K-12 Innovation – Public-Private partnership in Illinois: A report outlining a plan to green all K-12 schools in Illinois was released in March 2011 as a result of a public-private partnership commissioned by the Illinois’ General Assembly’s October 2009 adoption of House Joint Resolution 45.
Please visit centerforgreenschools.org/bestof2011 for more information on each of this year’s recipients.

About U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 79 local chapters, nearly 16,000 member organizations, and more than 175,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. GDP from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists,
corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org, on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council

The Center for Green Schools is how USGBC is making sure every student has the opportunity to attend a green school within this generation. From the kindergartner entering the classroom, to the Ph.D. student performing research in a lab, the Center provides the resources and support to elevate dialogue, accelerate policy and institute innovation toward green schools and campuses. High-performing schools result in high-performing students, and the Center works directly with staff, teachers, faculty, students, administrators, elected officials and communities to drive the transformation of all schools into sustainable places to live and learn, work and play. For more information, visit www.centerforgreenschools.org, or Twitter and Facebook.

United Technologies Corp.

(NYSE: UTX), based in Hartford, Connecticut, is a diversified company providing energy-efficient products and services to the global aerospace and building industries. UTC’s products include Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines, Sikorsky helicopters, Carrier heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace systems and industrial products, Otis elevators and escalators, and UTC Power fuel cells. More information can be found at www.utc.com and at www.powerofefficiency.com.

###

Click to download the official press release

Tipp City, Ohio - In response to the continued growth in Ohio’s demand for energy savings solutions, Energy Optimizers, USA has brought on new talent with the hiring of Mr. Bob Hausmann and the promotion of Mrs. Belinda Kenley to Vice President of Business Development.

Bob Hausmann, Operations Manager
Hausmann, with more than thirty years’ experience in design, development and construction, will manage the company’s energy conservation projects and lighting retrofits, primarily in K-12 schools and local government agencies throughout Ohio. He formerly owned Hausmann Homes, designing and building custom homes and renovating existing homes with a focus on sustainable green living, and was Partner/President of the Special Projects Group at Miller Valentine from 1983-2006.

“I feel that Energy Optimizers, USA provides me with a great opportunity to introduce energy cost savings measures at an important time for Ohio commercial, industrial and institutional facilities ”, shared Hausmann. “With over $7 million dollars in energy savings projects underway, our clients are able to use these cost savings to more effectively manage their money”.

Bob is a registered architect and LEED AP, BD+C, with a B.S. from the University of Detroit. He is affiliated with the U.S. Green Building Council and the American Institute of Architects, and serves in leadership volunteer roles with Habitat for Humanity and Dayton Red Cross.

Belinda Kenley, Vice President of Business Development
Belinda Kenley formerly served in the capacity of Vice President of Operations and has now been promoted to Vice President of Business Development. Kenley previously worked for the Ohio Attorney General and Auditor of State Betty D. Montgomery and is a member of Centerville City Council. She is in the current class of Leadership Dayton and is active in numerous professional organizations, including Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Association of Energy Engineers, the I-70/75 Development Association, and National League of Cities.

Greg Smith, President of Energy Optimizers, USA says this of Kenley, “Belinda’s role as VP of Business Development is critical for us. Schools and local government agencies across Ohio need to be better informed of their options in cost cutting measures that are available to them today”. Mr. Smith refers to the budgetary relief provided by Ohio House Bill 264, 300 and 420 that provide K-12 schools and government agencies with options on how energy savings measures are paid for over time.

New Location
The company has recently purchased a building along with an adjacent lot at 7950 South County Road 25A in Tipp City to house its expanding team, bringing the total property to about four acres, including two warehouses.

About Energy Optimizers, USA
Energy Optimizers, USA works with Ohio school districts and government agencies to implement energy savings opportunities to reduce operational costs, including lighting retrofits, renewable energy projects (wind and solar), HVAC retrofit projects, building automation retrofits and energy education programs. To learn more about Energy Optimizers, USA visit their website at http://energyoptimizersusa.com or call them at (937) 877-1919

Read More: Letter from Mr. Whitfield, Springfield City Schools

Find Savings for your School

Dayton, Ohio

The awards program recognizes Dayton-area companies and business leaders who have out-shined their competitors.
“The companies recognized at our annual Business of the Year Awards are impressive businesses from across the Dayton region, including Energy Optimizers, who is building on their success in the green industry, an emerging business category and a frontrunner for the future”, shared Carol Clark, publisher of the Dayton Business Journal.
The Business of the Year judging demanded a rigorous set of objective criteria, with Energy Optimizers, USA being chosen as a finalist amongst many deserving candidates from the Miami Valley.

The judges independently use a 100 point scale for each of the six judging criteria: financials, supporting documentation, innovations, strategy and vision; product or service’s place in the market; outshining others. Those individual scores are totaled and only the top three scorers in each award category are named finalists.
“To be selected from such an impressive collection of Dayton-area businesses is a great honor for us,” shared Greg Smith, Energy Optimizers, USA’s president. ”This award recognizes the hard work and dedication of our growing team to achieve significant value and savings for Ohio’s K-12 schools and government clients”.

The Business of the Year awards, presented by Soin International, is the prestigious black-tie gala held at the Schuster Center downtown that honors companies and business leaders from throughout the area who have out-shined their competitors.

About Energy Optimizers, USA
Energy Optimizers, USA audits, recommends and executes energy-saving changes that make Ohio’s schools more efficient, greatly reducing their cost of operations. All across Ohio, Energy Optimizers, USA is implementing energy savings and conservation opportunities with school districts, including lighting and HVAC retrofits, building controls retrofits, wind and solar installations. Their programs include Energy Savings Projects, Wind & Solar Projects, Maintenance Plan Advisor Services and Energy Efficiency Education and Awareness Programs.

To learn more about Energy Optimizers, USA, visit their website at http://energyoptimizersusa.com or call them at (937) 877-1919.

Energy Optimizers, USA is sponsoring the reception on November 15th as a way to say THANK YOU to OASBO and the way that they empower new and seasoned SBO’s to make confident, well-informed decisions leading to the health and success of the school districts and communities they serve.

75th anniversary flyer

OASBO eNews

The project cost is $136,100, and anticipated annual utility, operating and maintenance savings are estimated at a minimum of $42,832.  The district will realize a net annual cash flow of $30,912 after making annual payments on the project, which will result in a 5.78 year payback including interest.   Superintendent Randy Earl states that, “As an administrator, it is my responsibility to ensure that our district is a good steward of taxpayers’ money.  I feel that the Covington School District is doing just that by implementing this exciting project.”

Energy Optimizers, USA has designed the Bethel District project to include a building automation control system to utilize advanced energy conservation programs to control the heating, cooling and ventilation systems. Lighting upgrades will significantly reduce the electrical load and improve the energy efficiency and quality of light in the facility.

Solar powered automatic restroom sinks and a solar thermal domestic hot water system will be installed, saving energy and water while serving as an educational tool for the students and community. New HVAC systems will be installed in the High School, Junior High, and 1969 Elementary wings.

Superintendent Jeff Cassell explains that, “while the project cost is $633,290, it will reduce utility, operating and maintenance costs annually by at least $58,465.”

In the article company president Greg Smith shared, “We’ve gone from one employee less than two years ago – me – to 14 employees”. The NRDC article goes on to identify the University of Dayton’s Renewable and Clean Energy Program as well as Ohio Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard, legislation which is often used to fund projects such as the energy efficiency projects at Jackson City Schools that will lower its current $1 million energy bill by close to $160,000 annually.

Read the entire article on the NRDC website here.

The businesses receiving DRG3 Green Business Certification are:

• AAA Wastewater  (Green & Blue Certification)
• APG Office Furnishings
• Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm  (Green & Blue Certification)
• CYP Studios  (Green & Blue Certification)
• Elements IV Interiors
• Energy Optimizers, USA
• Good Samaritan Hospital
• Heapy Engineering  (Green & Blue Certification)
• Miami Conservancy District
• Montgomery County Madison Lakes Learning & Conference Center
• Montgomery County Water Services
• Montgomery County Solid Waste District  (Green & Blue Certification)
• Salem Office Products
• Square One Salon

Green Business Certification Program

The Green Business Certification Program is a voluntary program designed to help businesses take basic green measures to reduce their ecological footprint, reduce their energy and resource use, and save money in the process.  Businesses are also eligible for Water Stewardship Blue Certification.

In the fall of 2007, Montgomery County Commissioners convened a forum of local citizens, government and business leaders to identify strategies to reduce the carbon footprint in Montgomery County and the region.  From the initial meetings, the name Dayton Regional Green 3 Task Force and the DRG3 label was developed in an effort to open the Task Force’s efforts to include all of the Dayton Region and not limit it to Montgomery County.DGR3 has three main areas of focus:  Residential, Business, and Government, with an emphasis on economic development, policy, and education.  To learn more, visit:  http://www.mcohio.org and click on the DRG3 logo.

###