Modular Building Going Green
Green Schools and Modular Building
Modular buildings are commonly used for schools, whether as an addition to an existing building or as the entire school structure. And modular classrooms are not the same old “portables” they used to be; modular building classrooms can now have high air quality control, choice of exterior finish to match with existing structures, and are able to be locked together to form a large, custom floor plan, as well as many other features.
Just as in other markets, green construction of schools and school buildings is a growing trend. In fact, the USGBC has launched a new website that offers a resource to students, parents, teachers, school administrators, elected officials and community members in the effort to secure a future of green schools. The website, BuildGreenSchools.org , is full of facts on the benefits and costs of building green schools. According to the website, the benefits of a green school include a healthier, productive learning environment, as daylight improves performance, good indoor air quality improves health, and mold prevention decreases asthma incidence, among other factors. Another great benefit of green schools and classrooms is that they help teach students about sustainability and help them get interested an involved at an early age.
The Montgomery County Public Schools of Rockville Maryland lead the nation in seeking environmentally friendly classroom designs for energy savings in their schools. As pioneers and advocates for the green school building movement, the MCPS offers LEED workshops for Contractors as part of their Green Building program. According to Anja S. Caldwell, Green Building Manager of the MCPS, the demand for LEED training is high. To assist in their mission, the Green Building program co-sponsored the Portable Classroom Design Challenge, a contest for energy-efficient and sustainable classroom design. The winning modular building designers, who are members of the Modular Building Institute, had their design built in six weeks and installed in five days. The design went from conception to manufacture to placement in just months, because the market demand for sustainable spaces is so great. And green modular building manufacturers are ready to supply this demand.
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