Members of the Rondout Valley Facilities Advisory Committee's (FAC) 'green group', with approval of the Rondout Valley School Board, held an educational forum on High Performance Building, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy options -- including their initial costs, payback periods and net costs or benefits, specifically as they apply to the proposed RVHS renovation/expansion project.

?Members of the Hudson Valley Green Building & Renewables (GBR) working group shared their expertise to help area residents and tax-payers understand how incorporating sustainable energy practices into the upcoming capital improvement project for the HS will provide both environment benefits and bottom line cost savings in energy and other operating costs over the 15 years of the bond.

• Keynote Speaker:  Award-winning architect, writer and lecturer, Michael McDonough, AIA/NCARB, will introduce high performance buildings and importance of commissioning.
• Green Building Overview: Description of US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™. and NY-CHPS for schools, by Hudson Valley green architect, Rick Alfandre, AIA/LEED, Alfandre Architecture.
  
  • (PowerPoint) Alfandre Architecture's presentation
• RVHS Students will present their study of campus ecological resources, energy efficiency and green design.
• Building Performance:  Importance of an intact, energy efficient building envelope, proper air sealing, super-insulation and heat recovery ventilation systems. Jack Christmann, C.E., HERS, Home Energy Solutions.
• Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems: Ground source heat pumps. Charles Lazin of Altren Consulting.
  
  • (PowerPoint) Charles Lazin's presentation
• Solar: Photovoltaics (PV) and Solar Thermal; John Wright, Hudson Valley Clean Energy.
  
  • (PowerPoint) John Wright's presentation
• NYSERDA Funding and Other Incentives: Jessica Barry, Mid-Hudson Energy $mart Communities
  
  • (PowerPoint) Jessica Barry's presentation
    
• Q & A:  Full panel, open discussion with audience. Stephen Boese of Healthy Schools Network will moderate.
  • (PowerPoint) Stephen Boese's presentation
  • (PDF) Amy Moses, Architect: Design Case Study: James S. Wilson Middle School
• Poster Session: Site plans and conceptual designs of proposed renovation/expansion with Keith Buff, project architect, EYP.
  
  • (MSWord doc) Facts About Proposed RVHS Renovation Project

This event was free and open to the public. Rondout Valley School Board, students, faculty & staff and district voters were encouraged to attend.

For further information, please contact:

Links:

• Rondout Valley Central Schools website
• NY CHPS High Performance School Guidelines: http://www.nys-cma.org/1.1.htm
• Power to Schools: Energy Services Information for Schools
• The Green Schools Initiative: http://www.greenschools.net/
• Healthy Schools Network: http://www.healthyschools.org/