Construction Highlights:

• Site is a zero runoff site, treating all of its own stormwater up to a 100 year storm.
• School is built around an integrated wetland rain garden that serves as a teaching area with platform and walkway decks.
• Site of the school and the site design maintains the existing naturalized areas and restores previously developed areas back to a natural state.
• Water is collected from 80% of the school's roof area into three (3) 25,000 gallon cisterns. This water is used for flushing toilets and contributes to the geothermal HVAC system.
• What run-off comes from roofs is poured into the rain garden as a teaching opportunity of the water cycle.
• School has approximately 10,000 SF of green roof with two (2) points of access for roof top learning areas.
• 95% of all spaces in the building have daylight and views.
• There are no double loaded corridors. Primary halls have floor to ceiling glass looking onto the rain garden. These halls open into atrium walkway bridges connecting the classes to the media center/library.
• Exterior walls are super insulated and interiors are designed to high acoustic ratings for learning environments.
• Sensors for occupancy and daylight dim and turn lighting on or off for most all spaces.
• LED lighting fixtures were used wherever possible.
• HVAC system uses over 200 geothermal wells.
• Hallways, gym, cafeteria, and all public spaces are heated by in-floor radiant heat from hot water solar collectors.
• Hot water for kitchen and building is from same solar collectors.
• Building reduces its energy use by approximately 50% beyond code requirements.
• School has a covered eating and teaching space outside the cafeteria that looks onto the schools own vegetable garden.
• The buildings sustainable features are displayed on an interactive screen and available throughout the school system and web.
• Signs to teach from the buildings features are posted inside and outside the building.
• Interactive learning kiosks and science lab further develop the building as a teaching tool.