L.A. Community College Wins Green Award

COMMUNITY NEWS

Recognizing again the environmental leadership of the Los Angeles Community College District, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Nov. 20 bestowed the state’s highest and most prestigious environmental honor upon the district. The 2007 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award was presented during a ceremony at the California Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters Building in Sacramento. The program recognizes individuals, organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable contributions in conserving California’s precious resources, protecting and enhancing our environment, and building public-private partnerships.

"Receiving this prestigious award validates our commitment to promoting environmental preservation and protection while fulfilling our mission to train our students for the jobs of the 21st century Los Angeles economy," said Dr. Marshall E. Drummond, Chancellor, LACCD. “Following the recognition of our partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative, it’s clear we are leading with green.”

"This honor is for the entire LACCD team, including our students, administrators, construction team, faculty, and staff," said Larry Eisenberg, executive director, facilities planning and development for LACCD . "It’s especially great for our students, who through our green curriculum, are learning that not is only building green good for the planet, it’s good for their careers."

The annual Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award Program is administered by the California Environmental Protection Agency and Resources Agency, in partnership with the Department of Food and Agriculture, Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, and the State and Consumer Services Agency.

LACCD's Board of Trustees has directed that all new buildings at least half-funded with Proposition A/AA Bond monies will be green buildings, built to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) certification standards developed by the US Green Buildings Council (USGBC). More than 40 new buildings throughout the District will be LEED-certified.

A major feature of the District's effort to build green is to use innovative and environmentally-friendly construction practices and materials, decrease its dependence on fossil fuels, and increase energy efficiency in every building. This is being demonstrated through the LACCD's 9-megawatt Solar Energy Plan, which calls for the installation of enough photovoltaic (solar) panels to produce at least one megawatt of electricity on site at each of its nine colleges, enough to meet daytime electricity needs and take the campuses “off the grid.”

The Los Angeles Community College District is the largest community college system in the country, educating more than 188,000 students each year. The LACCD has embarked on a $2.2 billion construction and modernization program at its nine college campuses. As funded by the Proposition A/AA Bond construction program, the LACCD is also currently undertaking the largest public sector sustainable building effort in the United States. For more information, visit www.LACCDBuildsGreen.org.

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