EBN's Alex Wilson Testifies Before U.S. Senate

Environmental Building News

executive editor Alex Wilson testified in October before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs. Wilson joined Claire Barnett, founder and director of the Healthy Schools Network, and Lois Gibbs, director of the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice, in supporting federal funding for high-performance, healthy school buildings.

Wilson defined a high-performance school as “one that improves the learning environment while minimizing environmental impacts, saving energy, and reducing operating costs.” He explained the environmental benefits of whole-system design; if, for example, a building is designed with advanced glazings and lighting systems, its air conditioning system can be downsized. Wilson also cited examples in which high-performance design and a focus on indoor environmental quality has had palpable effects on the happiness and performance of students, faculty, and staff. Wilson’s complete testimony is available at:

www.buildinggreen.com/go/testimony.html.

– JB