Creating healthier, more sustainable schools and colleges through best-in-class facilities management requires having the right tools and technologies, driving transformation, and effectively adapting to new innovations, external factors, and market changes. In addition, it requires an institutional capacity for and commitment to change in order to make programs, initiatives, and outcomes possible.
The Healthy Green Schools & Colleges (HGSC) Change Readiness Assessment is a practical, insight-driven tool that enables institutions to understand their readiness for change and take informed, strategic steps toward efficient operations, enhanced learning environments, and healthy, green school practices.
The HGSC Change Readiness Assessment is administered as a self-evaluation to capture an individual’s perspective, typically from within facilities or operations, on whether the essential conditions for effective change are in place. Participants respond to a series of statements using a five-point scale (from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”), reflecting their immediate, instinctive view of their institution’s current state.
This assessment evaluates the underlying factors that can make or break progress, such as alignment, resources, communication, and organizational support. The assessment results help to surface hidden barriers that may be slowing or preventing meaningful advancement toward efficient operations, enhanced learning environments, and healthy, green school practices.
The results are both diagnostic and actionable. Upon completion, participants receive insight into key gaps or limiting factors specific to your institution, and a resource guide with recommendations to help address those gaps and accelerate progress.
The HGSC Change Readiness Assessment is designed to normalize candid responses, even when they may seem critical or negative, because those are essential insights for identifying where focused support and intervention will have the greatest impact.
10 Factors Necessary Using Facility Operations and Management to Achieve Efficient Operations, Enhanced Learning + Healthy School
There are 10 key factors necessary for successfully implementing change. These factors can each be given a level of maturity on any aspect of an institution’s pursuit of integrating health and sustainability as part of day-to-day facility operations and management.
| Factor | Definition |
| Clear Vision and Objectives | Comprehensive vision for how facility operations and management will advance efforts to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools, with defined outcomes and reasons for change. |
| Effective Communication | Conveying to all stakeholders the vision and objectives connecting facility operations and management to larger efforts to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools. |
| Leadership Commitment | Commitment from district/institution leaders and school administrators to connect facility operations and management to larger efforts to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools, as well as drive associated initiatives and changes. |
| Adequate Resources | Necessary resources, including funds, personnel, and technology, to support facility operations and management programs and initiatives to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools. |
| Staff Engagement | Active, meaningful, and generative involvement of facility operations and maintenance staff to support facility operations and management programs and initiatives to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools. |
| Stakeholder Relationships | External stakeholders necessary to enable the facility operations and management program and initiatives to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools (e.g., teachers, building administrators, students, parents, vendors, local government agencies, community organizations, partners, etc.). |
| Change Champions | Individuals who motivate others and help drive facility operations and management programs and initiatives to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools. |
| School Culture | Prevailing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors around accepting and driving or rejecting and resisting change necessary to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools. |
| Organizational Structure | Structural elements of an institution (e.g., processes for collaboration, decision making, feedback, training, resource allocation, strategy setting, recognition and accountability) that can promote or hinder progress and change necessary to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and healthy, green schools. |
| Evaluation and Improvement | Regular assessment of progress and strategies for facility operations and management programs and initiatives to achieve efficient operations, enhanced learning, and health, green schools. |
Adopting a maturity model approach to integrating health and sustainability into educational facility operations offers a structured, strategic path towards transformative change. By understanding where they stand and what steps are needed for progress, educational institutions can effectively navigate the complexities of organizational change, paving the way for a healthier, more sustainable future for our students, staff, and communities.
Five Levels of Maturity
Participants in the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Program are guided by a maturity model that consists of five levels, each representing a stage in the journey towards fully integrating health and sustainability into everyday facility operations:
- Level 1 – No Maturity/Not Started: At this stage, there are no clear processes, guidelines, or benchmarks. The institution may be unaware of the need or has not begun any efforts toward integration.
- Level 2 – Initial/Ad Hoc: The institution has recognized a need for action and changes have begun. However, efforts are inconsistent, informal, and often reactive, with success largely dependent on individual initiative.
- Level 3 – Defined/Managed: The institution has established clear processes and standards. There is noticeable progress with consistent practices and an understanding of their effectiveness. Activities are actively managed.
- Level 4 – Managed/Measured: Processes are not only clear but also monitored and measured. Data is utilized for informed decisions and proactive improvements, focusing on data-driven management.
- Level 5 – Full Maturity/Embedded: Processes are fully integrated into the institution’s culture, structure, and operations. The system is self-sustaining with continuous improvement, optimized practices, and adaptability to changing conditions.
A maturity model in educational settings functions as a roadmap, marking milestones from initial steps to advanced sustainability achievements. It’s not just about implementing eco-friendly practices but about embedding them into the culture, curriculum, and everyday operations.