Gerber assists school in persuit of LEED certification

With the support from the Green Schools Alliance (GSA) and Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC, Seacrest Country Day School located in Naples, Fla., is on its way to achieving LEED Certification. Serving as one of the winners of GSA’s 2010 National Green Cup Challenge, a program established to promote energy and water conservation in American school systems, Gerber donated 25 WaterSense certified toilets and faucets to Seacrest.

"Companies who preserve the water supply through eco-friendly products support the mission of the Green Cup Challenge," said Margaret Howard Watson, founder and president of the Green Schools Alliance.

Through a drawing open to all participating schools, three winning schools were selected. Each school received their choice of Gerber’s eco-friendly plumbing products in order to upgrade existing fixtures and increase water-savings. Phillips Exeter Academy located in Exeter, N.H., National Sports Academy in Lake Placid, N.Y., and Seacrest Country Day School were announced as the winning schools.

The student-driven, inter-energy challenge took place in January and February 2010. 161 schools from 10 regions participated to measure and reduce electricity, water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and recycling. During this two month challenge, the devoted students were able to achieve the equivalent of taking 162 cars off the road, planting 764 trees and changing 30,559 incandescent bulbs to more efficient CFL’s.

“Gerber was thrilled to participate in this amazing program designed to teach students about the importance of preserving natural resources. Overall, we donated 150 of our products,” commented Ron Mudge, marketing manager for Gerber. “We wanted to not only encourage students but also award them with Gerber’s WaterSense certified products. These have a very significant impact on water usage, especially in large scale installations like schools.”

The prize of 25 Gerber WaterSense certified plumbing products served as a major motivation for the students at Seacrest, as this was the first year the challenge included a prize drawing. Product donations included high-efficiency Maxwell Dual Flush toilets (HETs), high efficiency North Point urinals (HEUs) and low flow Allerton faucets, which, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reduce water usage by 20 percent without sacrificing performance.

“The Seacrest School has been committed since its founding in 1983 to be a good steward of the environment. Our students eagerly embraced the Green Cup Challenge, and as a result, we were thrilled to be awarded Gerber’s products,” commented Helen S. Ruisi, CFO of Seacrest Country Day School. “We are in the process of planning a LEED certified academic center, and these environmentally sensitive fixtures will be an integral part of our ongoing commitment to protecting our precious resources.”

For additional information on the National Green Cup Challenge and to view the 2010 Green Cup Challenge videos, visit the http://www.greencupchallenge.net. For product information on Gerber, visit www.gerberonline.com.