U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced today that Milton-Union K-12 School in West Milton, Ohio is among the 2014 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees. Forty-eight schools across the U.S. (and only three from Ohio) were honored for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education.
The building design
involved sustainable strategies such as a solar panel array, wind turbine,
rainwater harvesting and a host of other energy-efficient systems to save
energy, preserve the environment and improve occupant health and safety. These
systems and strategies also serve as learning tools for students as they are
integrated into the curriculum. In just the first two years of using the
building, Milton-Union has already recognized significant energy savings with a
40 percent improvement over typical energy use.
Ruetschle Architects would like to thank the
following for making this prestigious award possible: Milton-Union Schools (Dr. Ginny Rammel) Ohio
School Facilities Commission, Mike Huff, Heapy Engineering, CYP Studios, and Waibel
Energy Systems.