Goin' Green
Some of Moseley Architects' exciting education projects that are pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification include:
  • Pearson Elementary School, Durham, North Carolina


  • New High School, Glen Allen, Virginia


  • Hillandale Elementary School, East Flat Rock, North Carolina


  • Mills River Elementary School, Horse Shoe, North Carolina


  • Northwestern K-8 School, Hampton, Virginia


  • Orange Co. Middle School, Orange, Virginia


  • Paint Branch High School, Burtonsville, Maryland


  • Sentara K-8 School, Hampton, Virginia


  • T.C. Williams High School, Alexandria, Virginia


  • West Area Middle School, Richmond, Virginia

Bill Would Provide Grants to Schools to Improve Energy Efficiency
Legislation creating a new grant program for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements for public schools has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Grants for Renewable and Energy Efficiency Needs (GREEN) School Improvement Act (H.R. 5401) would authorize $2 billion per year for schools and school districts to improve energy efficiency, install renewable energy technologies, and develop energy-efficient guidelines and standards for new facilities construction.

The Green School Improvement Act, introduced by Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA), was inspired, in part, by the AIA-sponsored study Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits. The legislation cites a number of the study's findings, specifically that on average, green schools use one-third less energy than conventional schools and also provide numerous health and educational benefits to students.

H.R. 5401 would provide grant money to schools for improvements, repairs, or renovations that will result in a direct reduction in school energy costs. Other eligible uses include activities that would lead to improvements in indoor air quality, daylighting, ventilation, electrical lighting, and acoustics. Schools could also use the funding to install renewable energy technologies.

Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, senior director of Federal Relations, noted that support for green schools continues to grow on Capitol Hill. "The 2007 Energy Bill included provisions to help spur the construction of green schools." Shortly after the bill's passage, Reps. Matheson (D-UT), McCaul (R-TX), and Van Hollen (D-MD) founded the Congressional Green Schools Caucus to draw more attention to the issue. "The introduction of this bill is the natural next step and shows that Congress is finally beginning to understand the countless benefits that green schools provide to not only the environment, but also to our nation's students and teachers," Goldberg said.

AIA's The Angle VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, March 27, 2008.
Carrboro, North Carolina Home to New LEED Certified High School
Carrboro High School recently became the first high school in North Carolina to earn LEED certification. Since the project was featured in our premier issue of Green Concepts, it has gone through the LEED application process and has emerged with 29 points according to the Green Building Rating System, enough to earn the project LEED certified status.
The high school, which opened for the 2007-2008 school year, provides 148,000 square feet of space intended to create a healthier and more pleasing academic environment for the school’s students and faculty while being kinder to the natural environment. During the school’s design and construction, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, and waste reduction were all given particular attention.

Perhaps the most noticeable green feature at Carrboro High School, other than the multitude of bike racks at the main entrance, is the amount of natural light entering the building. Classrooms, common spaces, and offices are equipped with large windows to allow a greater amount of daylight to pervade the spaces. Clerestories over the classroom wings allow extra light into the second story classrooms. In order to make the most of this natural light, daylight sensors have been installed so that electric lighting shuts off automatically when sufficient sunlight is entering the spaces. This system not only helps to provide high quality light, but it also helps to decrease energy use by reducing the need to use electric lighting.
The other green features at Carrboro High School include:
  • three 35,000 gallon cisterns that collect rainwater form the roof and store it for use in toilet flushing;
  • a 41 percent reduction in water use;
  • photovoltaic panels on the roof that use the sun’s energy to preheat water for use in the school’s kitchen;
  • a modeled 27 percent reduction in energy use as a result of installing high efficiency lighting and glazing, additional wall insulation, efficient chillers and boilers, and variable speed drives;
  • a white roofing membrane to reflect rather than absorb the sun’s rays in order to help keep the building cool and reduce the need for mechanical cooling;
  • carbon dioxide sensors to help provide adequate ventilation in occupied spaces and reduce energy use by preventing the unnecessary ventilation of unoccupied spaces;
  • air handling systems designed to provide 15 cubic feet of air per person in each classrooms, which is above the amount required by code;
  • low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, and carpet to prevent chemicals from off-gassing and creating poor indoor air quality;
  • materials manufactured or harvested within 500 miles of the project site;
  • recycling over 99 percent of construction waste, which was collected on site and hauled off site to be sorted;
  • rain gardens to collect stormwater runoff and remove pollutants through a process known as biofiltration;
  • preservation of 200,000 square feet of open space on the westernmost edge of the project site;
  • preferred parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles; and
  • a new road to link two existing bus stops, thereby making public transportation more accessible.
For more information regarding Carrboro High School, please contact Steve Triggiano at 919-840-0091.
Green Tips
As gas prices continue to edge closer to $5.00 a gallon and concerns surrounding CO2 emissions grow, its important to pay attention to what and how we drive these days. Whether you want to get more out of the vehicle you're currently driving or are ready to buy something new, here are a few things you can do to increase your vehicle's fuel efficiency and reduce the environmental impact you and your vehicle make.

  • Watch Your Speed - Driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph will lower your fuel economy by about 10 percent and can dramatically increase tailpipe pollution.
  • Open Your Windows - Before turning on your vehicle's air conditioning, open your windows and/or vents to cool off first. You might be surprised at how well it works and it reduces your vehicle's gas consumption and emissions.
  • Don't Put the Pedal to the Metal - Flooring the gas pedal not only wastes gas, it leads to drastically higher pollution rates. One second of high-powered driving can produce nearly the same volume of carbon monoxide emissions as 30 minutes of "normal" driving.
  • Check Your Tire Pressure - Tires that are not kept at their proper pressure not only increase tire wear and gas consumption, but they cause poor handling.
  • Keep Up With Maintenance Issues - Be sure to change your vehicle's oil and get regular tune-ups, which can increase your fuel economy and hopefully extend the life of your vehicle.
  • Be a Green Consumer - If you are buying new, consider a hybrid or one of the other fuel-efficient vehicles currently on the market. For more information on what makes and models are available, visit www.greenercars.org.
  • Take the Bus - If home and work are along a convenient bus route, consider riding the bus. Instead of driving, you can read, send text messages, knit, or whatever suits your fancy. You won't be contributing to traffic congestion, and you'll be supporting public transportation.
  • Get Some Exercise - Walking or riding your bike to work is not only green, it's great exercise. If this is something you've wanted to try, but haven't because your office doesn't have changing or showering facilities, determine what options may be available, poll your co-workers to see how many of them would do the same, then take the facts to your boss for consideration.
  • Make Use of Today's Technology - A growing number of companies are giving their employees the option of working from home and telecommuting, which eliminates the need for travel altogether. If you have this option, take advantage of it. If not and it makes sense for the work you do, see if you can bring such a program to your workplace.
  • Look Into Commuting Alternatives - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Transportation are teaming up with businesses and others to set up Commuter Choice Programs (www.commuterchoice.com). Companies and communities that make use of Commuter Choice benefits often save money. Alternatives include Commuter Choice tax incentives, transit pass programs, guaranteed ride home programs, vanpool/carpool programs, flextime, staggered work hours, compressed work schedules, and incentives for living where you work.
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