Florida Contractor to Build First Green School In Pasco County

HOLIDAY, Fla. — Creative Contractors Inc. was awarded a $14 million contract by the Pasco County School District to build the county’s first green school.

The builders of the 93,000-square-foot Gulf Trace Elementary School will strive to create a healthy indoor environment through the use of low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives, and wood products without added urea-formaldehyde, a type of adhesive resin used in pressed wood.

Designed by Holmers Hepner & Associates Architects of Tampa, the school will consist of seven separate buildings, including a library, art and music rooms, office space, a kitchen and a multi-purpose cafeteria.

Materials manufactured and extracted from within a 500-mile radius will be used to reduce transportation costs and pollution, while supporting local vendors.

The general contractor will use recycled content for the building’s interior and plans to recycle 75 percent of all construction waste.

The school is expected to achieve basic LEED certification for its focus on indoor air quality and sustainable building methods, but officials are hopeful that silver rating is possible.

Gulf Trace will also be the first school in Pasco County to use tilt-wall construction, which will help lower project costs and reduce construction time, according to project officials.