Going Green: Construction Conservation

Going Green with TPS Construction: Putting Your Dollars at Work by Building a Brighter and Greener Future!

Do you ever wonder where your tax dollars go? They are helping to create a blueprint for every school we build. We are proud to put your public dollars to work in ways that protect the planet, reduce long-term costs, and create healthier spaces for students and communities.

Here is how we are making it happen:

Sustainable Buildings from the Ground Up

We design, build, and maintain schools with sustainability at the core by minimizing resource use throughout the entire building lifecycle, in alignment with Board Policy 6810:

Policy Summary: Efficient and Responsible Use of Resources (Sustainability)

The Tacoma School Board is committed to integrating sustainability into school operations and education. The goal is to create healthy, safe, and efficient learning environments by:

·   Reducing resource consumption (electricity, natural gas, water, and fuel)

·   Promoting recycling

·   Implementing conservation standards in operations, maintenance, and construction

·   Educating staff and students on sustainability and resource conservation

This approach supports both fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship, aligning with the district’s long-term sustainability goals.

Lumens: A measure of the brightness of light. Higher lumens mean brighter light.

Carbon encapsulation: Using materials that store carbon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Water-source heat pump: An energy-efficient heating and cooling system that uses water as a heat exchange medium.

Payback: The time it takes for cost savings to equal the initial investment in a project.