Virginia Beach City Public Schools is proud to announce that Hermitage Elementary School has the distinction of becoming the first certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) elementary school in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This environmental certification, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council, was announced today during Hermitage's dedication ceremony which officially celebrated the completion of its $11.1 million construction phase that replaces the original school built in 1964.

LEED recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources. LEED provides a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. Based on well-founded scientific standards, LEED emphasizes state of the art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

“Designing and constructing an elementary school that incorporates energy conservation and environmental concepts was an exciting challenge and opportunity for Virginia Beach City Public Schools,” said Tony Arnold, director of facilities planning and construction. “We are proud of our environmental leadership role in the community by taking a non-traditional design and construction approach sensitive to the environment and the consumption of energy resources.”

Hermitage Elementary School, designed by Moseley Architects and built by Oyster Point Construction, earned its Green Building Certification due to the many environmental amenities incorporated into the building and site design to include: special filters installed in the heating and cooling system; building materials that contain a percentage of recyclable elements; higher insulation values; structural design that promotes an abundant flow of sunlight; sinks and toilets with low-water usage; and the use of paints and floor adhesives with minimal odor. Hermitage Elementary is located at 1701 Pleasure House Road.