Discovery Elementary School | LEED Gold | Photo: Alan Karchmer
Support mastery of STEM concepts with Fundamentals by LEED Lab —a K-12 education program that uses school building operations and performance to teach students about sustainability.
Students are empowered to use their building as a learning laboratory by collecting, analyzing, and conducting real-world investigations that inform their school's improvements around waste, energy, water, health, and transportation. Working with the school’s facility staff, students also gain exposure to sustainability careers and build positive relationships with members of their community.
Use the school as a learning tool
Fundamentals by LEED Lab lessons teach students the science behind buildings and sustainability concepts, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to investigate and improve the eco footprint of their school.
Track and evaluate real-world data
Students collect and track their school’s water, energy, waste, transportation, and environmental health data using the Arc platform.
Learn more.
Resources
The Fundamentals by LEED Lab Toolkit includes a program guide and a suite of other resources to help schools plan and implement this program, including stakeholder communication, curriculum support, and student career development. In addition to the program’s resource library, below are some other relevant resources and case studies for school sustainability and student engagement that prospective participants may find helpful.
“Students were excited to create real change in the school. They were excited to come to class and work on this project because they could see a measurable difference in the sustainability rating of our school...This experience motivated them towards becoming more active around environmental issues in general.” – Chris Donnelly, 10th grade CTE Environmental Science teacher, Boston, MA
Case studies
- Briarwood Elementary; Charting Success in the Fight Against Food Waste
- Mickle Middle School; Engaging the School, from Surveys to Sustainability Week
- Taking Boston Latin School Sustainability to the Next Level
- Arc at Boston Latin School
Courses
- Arc at Boston Latin School
- Benchmarking Sustainability Metrics for Healthy& Resource-Efficient Schools
- Re-image, Re-design & Re-cycle: School Waste Collection Systems That Work
- Advisory Committees for Healthy, Sustainable Schools
- Getting Back on Track: Cafeteria Recycling & Composting Post-COVID
- Tracking and Communicating Carbon Reductions
Arc Resources
- Arc helps schools get closer to their sustainability goals
- In Arc for Schools: Practical Tips, experts describe how Arc is used in schools to improve sustainability performance and enhance student learning. Learn how Arc can help your school collect data to paint a picture of its current sustainability performance and set goals for improvement.