As Glenelg High School was renovated and a new wing added to the building in recent years, students commonly complained of headaches, nausea and asthma problems they believed to be caused by noise, dust and fumes from the construction, according to parent Johnnie Nussbaum.

As the school's PTSA president, Nussbaum wants those kinds of distractions minimized or eliminated, she told the Howard County Board of Education at a public hearing last week.

"In order to fix the problems that occurred during our construction and renovation project we need a policy ... that clearly outlines all the preventative safety measures needed to ensure the least amount of negative impact on the people in the building," she told the board.

Nussbaum was one of eight people who testified before the school board Feb. 12 regarding proposed revisions to the school system's construction policy. The policy sets forth guidelines for school planning and construction projects. Others who spoke about the policy urged the board to consider making all of its construction projects meet environmentally conscious design standards. Such projects can be certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.

Although the board was slated to vote on the construction policy March 12, last week's public hearing convinced officials to consider additional revisions, board chairman Frank Aquino said, adding that he expects the policy to be presented to the board again later this spring.

Work raises health concerns

With more and more school renovation projects on the horizon, the work cannot always be limited to the summer months. When renovation occurs during the school year, safety standards must be heightened, according to Elizabeth Edsall Kromm, a representative of the county Health Department who testified on behalf of county Health Officer Dr. Peter Beilenson.

"The Health Department firmly believes that school construction and renovation policies, and procedures must be designed and implemented in a manner that protects the health and safety of our students and staff," she said. "The school environment should not interfere with our students' focus on learning."

John Hannay, president of the PTA Council of Howard County, recommended the creation of "impact assessment reports" to be provided during the design stage of each renovation or construction project, which would assess the impact of the project on the building and its occupants.

Bruce Gist, Howard's director of school construction, said the policy addresses the safety concerns raised at the hearing, and that he and his staff are working on presenting the safety measures more effectively within the policy. "We think the current (policy proposal) covers everything the hearing addressed," he said. "So we are going to revisit the wording of the policy to come up with a better presentation."

Also at the Feb. 12 hearing, some speakers urged the board to make all renovation projections adhere to LEED standards. Currently, county schools follow state regulations that require all new schools to meet the standards, as well as renovations that impact 80 percent or more of the space in a building, according to Aquino.

The proposed policy states that the school system will support "environmentally responsible construction within the constraints of budget."

Architect Anja Caldwell, who spoke on behalf of the Maryland PTA and serves as an appointed member of Gov. Martin O'Malley's Green Building Council, asked the board to consider setting a higher standard, citing the energy savings and health benefits of "green" buildings.

Gist said "green" projects can often be more costly.

"It costs more money," he said. "It comes down to the budget."

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