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Georgia to have its First LEED Silver High School

Sustainable construction can save schools $100,000 a year.

Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 3/21/2007 12:00:00 AM

Arabia Mountain High in DeKalb County has earned the title of first LEED Silver certified public high school in the state of Georgia. Designed by architecture firm Perkins + Will, the facility will open in 2009 to serve some 1,600 students.

Sustainable design features include filtering water runoff before it enters local streams; light-colored roof areas to reflect sunlight and minimize atmospheric warming; water-saving fixtures; energy-efficient systems monitored for indoor air quality; 30 percent more ventilation than code requires; and individually-controlled lighting and HVAC.

Construction materials are up to 20 percent recycled and construction waste is sorted and then recycled. All wood used comes from easily renewable sources.

"There's no doubt that 'green' is today's 'black'—to coin a fashion phrase—and that America is moving toward increased sustainability in all things, including its schools," says Barbara Crum, leader of Perkins + Will's K-12 practice in Atlanta.

A recent study by the U.S. Green Building Council, which manages the LEED program, suggests schools with sustainable construction save $100,000 a year.

Perkins + Will also spearheaded sustainable designs for Hector Garcia Middle School in Dallas, Texas; Blythewood High School in Columbia, South Carolina; Perspectives Charter School in Chicago, Illinois; and GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio.

Turner Construction is design/build partner on the project.