"Green" Schools Grow Around US (1/2)

In Alexandria, Virginia, the two thousand students at T.C. Williams High School started classes last month in a new building. It was built as a "green" school based on requirements from the United States Green Building Council.

The council is a nonprofit organization made up of building industry leaders. It has a rating system for buildings called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.

In two thousand one, there were four schools asking for LEED certification. Now there are four hundred, including T.C. Williams. So far, fifty-eight schools have been recognized for meeting the requirements. These include protecting natural areas and limiting the amount of chemicals in building materials. They also include better lighting and improved indoor air quality.

Buildings are also rated on how well they use energy and water, and on things like the use of recycling programs. At T.C. Williams, one example of green design can be seen in the many windows that let in natural light. Students say the sunny rooms help them stay awake during class.

参考译文：

在维吉尼亚州亚历山大市， 上个月2000名学生在T.C.威廉斯高中一新教学楼开始上课。这个"绿色"学校是根据美国绿色建筑委员会的标准建造了该教学楼。

该委员会是由建筑行业的领导者们成立的一个非营利组织。对于那些被称为能源与环境设计为主的建筑，也可称为《绿色建筑评估体系》，会有一个评级系统。

在2001年，仅4所学校申请了LEED认证。现在有400 所学校，其中包括T.C.威廉斯高中。到目前为止， 58所学校被确认为是符合条件的。这些措施包括保护自然区，并限制建筑材料中的化学品含量。这还包括更好的采光和改善室内空气质量。

对建筑的分级标准还包括对能量及水源的利用情况和使用再生项目。在T.C 威廉斯高中，绿色设计之一能够在许多拥有充足光线的窗户中体现出来。学生们说，有阳光的房间能帮助他们在课上保持清醒。