Yesterday, the News and Observer published a story on the John Locke Foundation’s new report on “green” schools. Wake County’s response was interesting. N&O education reporter Keung Hui wrote,
Joe Desormeaux, Wake County’s assistant superintendent for facilities, said schools could have similar results because the district has for years tried to make all schools energy-efficient.
“Our goal is to make a good, energy-conscious school all along whether it has LEED certification or not,” Desormeaux said.
So, Desormeaux contends that there is little difference between schools built according to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and non-LEED schools because all Wake County schools are equally energy efficient.
Then that begs the question of why the district pursues LEED certification in the first place. Apparently, school facilities in Wake County and beyond can be just as energy-efficient without it.
