CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — School officials are making a commitment to have all new construction on campus qualify for LEED certification, and they currently have five projects that may do just that.
Although striving for LEED certification often leads to an increase in design fees, facilities upgrades and construction costs, school officials realized it can create a prompt payback on investment, so they made LEED a top priority in campus design.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — The new $16.6 million county education center in Gwinnett County does more than just rest on its 233-acre site; it lives on it.
Designed by Atlanta-based Lord, Aeck & Sargent, the 59,000-square-foot Gwinnett Environmental Heritage Center is the county’s first green building, and features several sustainable elements, including a water recycling program and a living, green roof that allow the center to “give back” to the environment.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Green Building Council is scheduled in March to launch its LEED for schools rating system, which was created specifically for design and construction of K-12 schools.
Based on the LEED for new construction category, the LEED for schools system will update key areas that have the greatest effect on children in the learning environment.
LINCOLN, Calif. — Construction is under way for the 55,647-square-foot Lincoln Crossing Elementary School, and the building is set to exceed state energy requirements by 22 percent.
Expected to cost approximately $20 million to build, the school will house 660 students and 29 teaching areas. Features of the energy-saving design include high-performance HVAC and lighting systems, an energy-efficient building shell, sustainable building materials, day lighting, deep overhangs and high-tech glazing.
