Green Classroom Retrofit Toolbox (GCRT): Evidence-Based Design Guidelines to Adapt K-12 School Facilities for Climate Change

This paper provides a synopsis of the methods and scope of the findings from the Green Classroom Toolbox (GCRT) project and provides a roadmap for its future application and replication. The goals and objectives of this project are to develop green design guidelines for retrofitting existing educational spaces that are based on carbon neutrality metrics and student achievements outcomes. The basis of these guidelines is the analysis of data from a multi-disciplinary pilot research project that the researchers have recently completed in addition to an extensive meta-analysis of prior studies and energy modeling simulations. One of the significant targets of this project is to link green retrofit best practices with their energy and carbon emission reductions as well as their impact on human health and student achievements.