H.R. No. 2090
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Deteriorating school infrastructure and poor indoor
environmental quality are detrimental to the health, welfare, and
achievement of faculty, students, and staff; and
WHEREAS, By contrast, green schools support the health of
their occupants while reducing environmental impact and costs;
these high-performance buildings offer many features that have been
shown to improve children's well-being and ability to learn,
including natural lighting, thermal comfort, and thoughtful
classroom design; moreover, superior indoor air quality, a hallmark
of green schools, has been linked to lower incidence of asthma and
allergies, reduced absenteeism, and increased teacher retention
rates; and
WHEREAS, Green schools cost no more to build than
conventional schools, as hundreds of districts across the country
have found, and they use, on average, 30 to 50 percent less energy;
existing schools can be converted through low- or no-cost
improvements to operations and maintenance, and districts can save
millions through the adoption of such initiatives as energy and
water management, green cleaning and smarter purchasing practices,
and recycling and waste reduction programs; the LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system has
proven a valuable instrument for optimizing building performance,
resolving operational inefficiencies, and dramatically reducing
utility costs in new construction and renovations; and
WHEREAS, Students who attend green schools gain greater
knowledge of sustainability, a concept of rising importance in the
competitive 21st century economy; moreover, the building becomes an
interactive teaching tool, creating multiple opportunities for
curriculum innovation and hands-on, project-based learning; and
WHEREAS, While promoting good health and creating an
environment that is optimally conducive to teaching and learning,
green schools save energy and money, and the benefits they bring
contribute significantly to prosperity and quality of life in the
communities they serve; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby express its support for green schools and
encourage all Texans to learn more about the advantages they
provide.
Lozano
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2090 was adopted by the House on May
18, 2017, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House