Goin' Green

Some of Moseley Architects' exciting education projects that are pursuing LEED certification include:

• Carrboro High School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Whitesides Elementary School, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
• Paint Branch High School, Burtonsville, Maryland
• Hillandale Elementary School, East Flat Rock, North Carolina
• Mills River Elementary School, Horse Shoe, North Carolina

U.S. Conference of Mayors Greening Schools

At its 75th annual meeting in Los Angeles, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) unanimously supported a green schools resolution last month. Introduced by Mayor T.M. Franklin Cownie of Des Moines and co-sponsored by 16 additional mayors, the resolution urges Congress to fund K-12 green school demonstration projects.

The resolution also includes funding for new research to better understand the environmental, economic, and health benefits of green schools.

Citing the urgent need for healthier and more productive places of learning, the mayors issued the resolution on behalf of the 55 million students and 5 million faculty and staff who spend their days in school buildings.

In addition to significant health benefits, green schools cost less to operate and greatly reduce water and energy use, which generate significant financial savings.

" We’re in urgent need of action on this issue, so it’s great to see mayors take the lead," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). "Green schools are healthier for students and teachers, better for the environment, and cost less to operate and maintain. We owe it to our children - and ourselves - to make all our schools green."

Across the country, more and more schools are going green to save money, protect the environment, and help kids learn.

To date, more than 30 schools have received LEED certification and nearly 300 more are on a waiting list for certification from the USGBC, which administers the nationally recognized LEED rating system for environmentally-friendly buildings and recently released a LEED rating system specifically designed for schools.

Greening school design is an extraordinarily cost-effective way to enhance student learning, reduce health and operational costs, and ultimately increase school quality and competitiveness.

In a recent study by Capital E, researchers found that a typical green school involves a modest two percent increase in cost, but would save $100,000 per year in energy costs alone. These savings equal the cost to hire two new teachers, buy 500 new computers, or purchase 5,000 new textbooks.

U.S. Green Building Council, 2007.

Alexandria High School Goes for Gold

Expectations are high for the new 461,000-square-foot T.C. Williams High School, which replaces the aging existing high school. The design team plans on submitting the project for review by the U.S. Green Building Council with the intention of earning a LEED Gold certification.

The many innovative features integrated into the new school’s design are what make the building worthy of Gold certification. A 450,000-gallon underground cistern sits at the front of the building between the two academic wings, which collects rainwater from the school’s roof. Water stored in the cistern will be used for toilet flushing, irrigation, and in the cooling towers. By using rainwater and water-efficient plumbing fixtures, the school is expected to reduce water use by more than 72 percent.

Another innovative feature is the Dashboard located in the student commons. This interactive system will afford students access to the energy and water use data supplied by the school’s measurement and verification system.

The school also features a centrally located roof garden, which serves several purposes. In addition to cleansing and reducing the amount of stormwater runoff from the building’s roof, the roof garden provides an excellent educational opportunity for the school’s students. It is also located so that interior classrooms have access to daylight and views to the garden, while skylights provide natural light to the student commons area below.

T.C. Williams’ other environmental features include:

• biofiltration rain gardens, stormfilter devices, and downstream defenders to reduce and cleanse runoff from the building site;
• highly reflective metal and white membrane roofing, both of which reduce the building’s contribution to the Heat Island Effect;
• an experimental strip of black membrane on the for comparing roofing surfaces and their effects on building temperature and energy use;
• low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, carpet, and composite wood materials;
• individual lighting controls in offices and workspaces to control lighting;
• temperature and humidity monitoring to provide a more appropriate environment for building occupants; and
• integrated pest management, which emphasizes preventing pest problems and using pesticides only as a last resort.

Additionally, signage is posted throughout the building, which highlights the building’s green features, to educate building users and visitors.

Construction on the school wrapped up just in time for T.C. Williams to open its doors for the current school season. The LEED application, however, will not be submitted until next fall, when demolition on the old school is complete. Rather than sending the demolition waste to a landfill, much of it will be recycled. This will help the school earn credit toward construction waste management.

For more information about T.C. Williams High School, please contact Jim Copeland at jcopeland@moseleyarchitects.com.

Green Tips

Going green when you shop is a win-win situation. You save money and help the environment at the same time.

Go Big or Go Home - A family of four can save up to $2,000 a year at the grocery store by choosing large sizes as opposed to single serving sizes. Buying items in bulk also helps to reduce packaging waste. Practical examples include:

• Buying cereal in a large box instead of individual boxes.
• Foregoing the juice boxes and instead picking up juice concentrate.
• Grabbing a large jug of bottled water instead of several six-packs.
• Purchasing flour and sugar in large packages.
• Avoiding small boxes of raisins and buying the 24 ounce containers.

Get to Know Your Local Recycling Rules - Be sure you have a good understanding of the kinds of containers your local recycling program accepts. That way you can be sure to purchase items that come in those same types of containers. For example, most recycling programs accept #1 and #2 plastics, which are common materials used to package consumer items.

Invest in Long-Term Savings - Items that you can reuse are cheaper in the long run than those you throw away and buy over and over again. Reusable items also help to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills.

• Use rechargeable batteries for toys, flashlights, and radios.
• Use a real camera instead of a disposable one.
• Switch to cloth napkins, towels, or sponges instead of paper or one-use types.
• Use washable dishes and silverware as opposed to disposable alternatives.
• Relying on an electric or a hand razor is a good alternative to disposable razors.
• Buying high quality tires, which cost less per mile traveled and help to reduce the problem of disposing of old tires.
• Use a washable mug for your coffee instead of a Styrofoam or plastic cup.
• Bring your own bags to your grocery store (cloth or old paper/plastic ones).