Shady Side Academy in Fox Chapel is going green.

The $6.8 million renovation of its main senior school building, scheduled to begin Monday, will emphasize environmentally friendly approaches, from glass that lets more light into classrooms to rainwater collected and used to flush toilets.

"It's something these kids can really sink their teeth into," said Marc Mandor, principal of evolveEA, a green consulting firm in Friendship. "It's saving the earth, but it's also giving them a better environment."

The work will focus on Rowe Hall as well as part of the adjacent student center.

From the outside, the Georgian revival Rowe Hall, built as one of the first campus buildings in 1922, will look similar to what it does now but fresher.

A new courtyard entrance also will focus on green techniques, including a more efficient system for water drainage.

Inside, the mechanical and electrical systems may save 30 percent in operating costs.

Betsy Watkins, Shady Side vice president for development, said that Scott Izzo of the R.K. Mellon Foundation initially suggested the school look into environmentally friendly approaches to renovation.

The foundation awarded the school $900,000 for the project. The portions that will lead to certification as a green building add about $391,000 to the cost, but school officials expect to earn that back through energy and other savings. The school also received a $1 million gift from Paul G. Benedum Jr., a 1950 graduate.

Construction will continue throughout the coming school year. Space has been found throughout campus for the administrative offices and classrooms affected.

Mandor said the school will seek a silver LEED -- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -- certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Nationwide, there are 216 LEED-certified projects, according to the council Web site.

In addition to having an environmentally friendly building, Jill Kaechele, head of the senior school, said the project will be used as an example in classes.

"I think kids today are extremely conscious of the environment and working very energetically, whether a recycling initiative on campus to making sure we don't cut down our trees,'' she said.

"What we're planning to do in the fall as construction begins is bring people in from the Green [Building] Alliance and educate our students what this kind of building is all about.''

Students will also study how much water or energy is saved.

The plans call for more natural light in the building and fresher air -- qualities that some studies say can improve student achievement and reduce absenteeism.

"We want to optimize the learning environment,'' said Kaechele.