What Happened?
Sandy Grove Middle School in Lumber Bridge, North Carolina, is one of the first schools in the country to operate in a net-positive-energy, LEED-platinum-designed, leased building. The ultra-efficient school campus is part of the school district’s green building strategy that anticipates saving $35 million in energy costs over the next 40 years.
The Goal
The zero consumption school campus was funded through a public-private partnership and designed with sustainable features throughout. The school was able to receive LEED platinum certification from U.S. Green Building Council due to its numerous green elements.
Green Element Breakdown
The net-positive-energy building totes:
- More than 2,300 solar photovoltaic panels on the roof generating 142 percent of the building’s electricity *15 percent of this electricity is allocated to the school, while 85 percent is sold to an electricity provider and repurchased by the school
- Solar trees and flower in front of the school aid in energy collection
- Geothermal heating and cooling system lies 300 feet below the recreational space
- High-efficiency plumbing cut waste water by 40 percent
- Sheetflow drainage directs runoff toward grass for absorption
- Six inches of insulation on the roof and exterior walls reduce cooling and heating costs
- Bike paths and shower facilities encourage students and faculty to cycle to work rather than drive
- Parking lot is equipped with electric charging station and spots just for fuel-efficient vehicles
- All building materials were sourced from eco-friendly, local providers and recycled content
When the building was completed, ASHRAE audited the energy efficiency of the facility. The school reported a 48 percent savings in energy consumption compared to the organization’s baseline.
Why LEED?
When an organization has their facilities LEED-certified through the U.S. Green Building Council it can enjoy lower operating costs, increased value, reduced resource consumption, improved wellness of occupants and financial aids such as tax rebates. All LEED-certified projects use Energy Star as a prerequisite and then compare energy performance of a structure to benchmarked statistics such as:
- Water use
- Waste recycled
- Fresh air delivery
A study from the U.S. General Services Administration revealed LEED-certified buildings average a 25 percent reduction in energy usage than standard structures, and all investments in green construction in the past four years is expected to generate $18 billion in lowered energy costs over the course of the projects, the White House Office of Management and Budget reported.
Greening Chicago
The Academy for Global Citizenship is a Chicago Public Charter School that takes a unique approach to education including a net-positive energy campus. The school offers nutritional meals, daily yoga activities, food and wellness studies and sustainable lifestyle choices all under the roof of an eco-friendly construction project. The school offers programs in water cleansing, water collection, urban agriculture, renewable energy and sustainable development to nurture a more environmentally-conscious student body at a young age with hands-on learning.
Lowering Consumption
Gov1 has followed many school districts that are taking steps to improve access to nutritional meals as well as cut energy costs for a more sustainable future.