Schools go 'green' to save green

BROCKTON, MA — Many schools in and around the Brockton area are going "green" to save green — and the planet, according to Wicked Local Brockton.

Over the summer, Rockland Public Schools upgraded all of their light bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, a project whose costs were reimbursed by National Grid up to 70 percent, and through a $180,000 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, solar panels were installed on the Rockland High School roof, the story stated.

The Mary E. Baker School, a 112,000-square-foot building that opened last year in the Brockton Public School District, is equipped with solar panels on its roof and sensors that turn off classroom lights and lower heating and cooling when rooms are unoccupied, the story noted.

Rockland Public Schools Superintendent John Retchless said: "One of the nice things is that you can go green and save money at the same time. You just have to look for those opportunities."

According to state experts, high-performance green school buildings save an average of 25 percent in energy costs over traditional schools and have superior indoor environmental qualities.

In many area schools, students are running green campaigns to educate everyone on the benefits associated with being environmentally friendly, the story added.

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