Superintendents as Sensemakers in the Design of Sustainable Schools

American public schools are in a position to deliver one of the most effective and expedient responses to global climate change by designing schools that support sustainable energy practices. This study explored three distinct motivations for building green—educational, environmental and economic. Superintendents mindful of this triple bottom line regarding sustainability are leading the way toward a sustainable future. The major findings of this study include: (a) Leadership is the key to greening America’s schoolhouses; (b) Superintendents are inadequately prepared for dealing with issues regarding sustainability; (c) Superintendents who utilized sensemaking as a decision-making strategy yielded high-quality decisions; and (d) Superintendents who could articulate a vision of triple bottom line sustainability which incorporated the environmental, educational and economic principles of sustainability were viewed by constituents as effective stewards. Sustainability is an appropriate and perhaps fundamental approach for superintendents to implement as they lead—for our children, our environment and our economic strength.