The facility, designed by SHW Group, is the first public school in Houston to secure the certification. The two-level building opened in August 2011 and spans 105,000 square feet. The school employs various eco-friendly elements such as geothermal heating and cooling units. It is the first school in Houston to use the system and has reaped energy savings of 41% in the district compared to its average elementary school energy consumption.
The facility sports a rectangular form which is oriented with long north- and south-facing sides. The design of all its classrooms allows natural light penetration while the south-facing classrooms imbibe daylight harvesting. The building has also been equipped with sensor-controlled lighting fixtures based on daylight levels which switch off lights in the classrooms 75% of the time.
The school further features a science garden and eco-pond with an above-ground cistern and a river table. A geothermal well field with a system of tubes and valves has been installed below the parking space and playgrounds. The well field helps supply hot and cold water in and out of the facility. The facility also sports a butterfly garden along a walking trail.
The building comprises a highly reflective roof in white shade, as well as an on-site wind turbine. It is also fitted with 10 kilowatts of roof-mounted photovoltaic cells which directly transforms sunlight into electricity. There is an underground cistern for storing rainwater from the roof. The collected water is later recycled in the building’s toilets.
Most of the materials used during the building process of the school are reclaimed. The facility has also utilised rapidly renewable resources. Reclaiming trees of the current site as desks, benches and conference room tables added to the sustainability factor.
