A healthy place to teach

Green schools aren't just good for students. Green schools improve the health and wellbeing of our teachers too.

Teachers regularly express concern about school facilities and highlight the issues addressed by green design - lighting quality, temperature control, indoor air quality and natural ventilation.

Teachers spend up to 90% of their day indoors, so it's no surprise that they benefit from buildings with natural daylight, fresh air and access to views. Research also indicates that teachers are happier when they have the ability to control their environment, such as temperature and lighting.

Green schools regularly report reductions in teacher absenteeism and teacher turnover. Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits estimates that teacher retention in green schools translates into a financial savings of about $4 per square foot over a 20-year period.

A PhD thesis on the Clearview Elementary School, a high achieving green building in Pennsylvania, found that teachers experienced 1.41 fewer missed working days, a 12% decrease from previous traditionally-built school.