American Modular Systems is committed to being a responsible educational partner, which is why we created the Gen7 line of off-site built green classrooms — clean, healthy learning environments that not only benefit the planet, but our children as well. Green schools enjoy 20 percent higher test scores, fewer absences due to respiratory illness, lower faculty healthcare costs and higher teacher retention. In addition, schools benefit from direct cost savings — up to $100,000 per year — and long-term savings of more than 30%. These funds can be redirected into enhancing school programming and providing an optimal educational experience for generations to come.

It's also why we use the finest sustainable and non-toxic products and materials in our projects and why we adhere to the highest standards of clean manufacturing. In designing Gen7, we started with the two most important systems, electrical and mechanical, and integrated them with our state-of-the-art building envelope to create a new category of structure that takes the standards of building green to a new level.

Gen7 Green Classroom Highlights

• Gen7 is 100% recyclable, with most materials containing high amounts of recycled content
• Smart Thermal Displacement Ventilation (TDV) system reduces electricity use and costs by 35%
• Gen7 is a grid-neutral design structure
• Programmable lighting, natural day light harvesting; Low-E, solar band 60 dual-glazed operable windows and programmable Energy Star-rated tubular skylights, which lower electricity usage
• Gen7 classrooms meet LEED^®/CHPS^® standards
• Gen7 promotes healthy learning by using non-toxic insulation and no- and low-VOC products and materials
• Gen7 exceeds the new 2008 energy code by over 26%
• Sustainable products and materials are used inside and outside the classroom
• The roof is engineered to allow the installation of photovoltaic power panels

Green Classroom Manufacturing

AMS is dedicated to earth-friendly manufacturing practices. This commitment begins at our facilities, where we employ a range of green practices, including daylight harvesting in our 280,000-square-foot enclosed manufacturing space, which reduces lighting consumption by 80%. We use highly efficient office lighting and heating/cooling, effective water-saving devices and have installed a rooftop solar-capturing system to offset energy usage. In addition, most of our plant employees carpool to work, and our service workers carpool to jobsites in modern, CA emission-compliant vehicles.

All our project materials must meet or exceed requirements such as those listed in typical LEED^®/CHPS^® matrix profiles. These include eco-friendly primers and paints, high-recycled-content steel, 100% recycled insulation and other sustainable materials.

We reduce or eliminate all material waste — including wood, metals, cardboard, plastic and paint — by recycling them at the factory. Materials are ordered in bulk to reduce the environmental impacts of transportation and, once they arrive, they are stored in enclosed areas at the plant so no damaging elements come in contact with them, thereby further reducing waste.

We ensure that our projects do not impact the communities we serve. Because nearly 90% of work is completed off-site, we significantly reduce the noise, dust, disturbance, storm water pollution and other environmental issues at the jobsite. Our off-site construction method translates to lower energy demands at the project location, significantly reducing the energy impact on the local community. And, harsh chemicals, such as petroleum-based cleaners, are not required on the job site and, thus, do not threaten the local population. No job site waste means no impact to local community landfills.

AMS and its Gen7 line have created a pathway to better, cleaner education by fostering a symbiotic relationship between indoor and outdoor learning environments. It is through our many efforts — from facilities, logistics and materials to mechanical and electrical systems — that AMS is demonstrating its commitment to educational partnership and fulfilling the promise to deliver healthy green schools that will benefit generations to come.