Lt. Gov. Lawton and Industry Leaders to Discuss Integrated Approach to Greening Wisconsin's Schools

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy and operationally efficient schools help offset shrinking district budgets. Beyond the bottom line, green schools offer benefits to the children – an improved learning environment, higher test scores, lower absenteeism, and in some instances, an opportunity to integrate curriculum and learning with green building initiatives.

This comprehensive approach will be discussed at the Wisconsin State Education Convention. Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton along with Trane education leaders Bill Harris, national education market leader, and Bob Schmidt, Wisconsin K-12 market leader, will present "Greening of Wisconsin Schools Begins with Educating Our Children."

When:  Friday, Jan. 22, 8 - 9 a.m.

Where:  Regency Ballroom; Hilton Milwaukee City Center; Milwaukee, Wis.

Lt. Gov. Lawton will discuss the importance of energy education and its impact on the Wisconsin economy. In addition, Harris and Schmidt will provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of green schools in today's economic and educational environment.

Al Harris, deputy superintendent, Racine School District, will also present at the session on the impact of adopting an energy efficiency curriculum in schools.  Racine Schools is implementing the BTU Crew™, an interactive educational program on energy use and conservation in buildings, with 50 fourth grade students at Stephen Bull Fine Arts Elementary.

Offered in partnership with Trane, the BTU Crew curriculum teaches students ways to reduce energy use at school and at home to make a positive contribution to the environment today. The BTU Crew is designed, in part, to interest students in potential science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers where talent is needed. Students often make decisions on whether or not they will pursue a career in STEM in the fourth through sixth grades.

Highlights of the program will include hands-on experiments to demonstrate energy efficiency and a preliminary energy audit of the school building. Students will calculate the energy use, efficiency and environmental impact of their school and develop recommendations to make the building more efficient.

Trane is a platinum sponsor of the Wisconsin State Education Convention, and will be exhibiting at the convention Jan. 20 - 21. Visitors to the Trane booth (# 535) will learn more about energy efficient, green solutions for K-12.

About the Wisconsin State Education Convention

The 89th State Education Convention, sponsored by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB), the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA) and the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO), will be taking place Jan. 20-22 at the Midwest Airlines Center and the Hilton Milwaukee City Center. A complete schedule is available at www.wasb.org/convention.

About Trane

Trane, a business of Ingersoll Rand - the world leader in creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and energy efficient environments - improves the performance of homes and buildings around the world. Trane solutions optimize indoor environments with a broad portfolio of energy efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, building and contracting services, parts support and advanced controls for homes and commercial buildings.  For more information, visit www.Trane.com.

.

SOURCE Trane