Northside Elementary School First North Carolina LEED Platinum
Let’s hear it for the first North Carolina LEED Platinum school. For the Northside Elementary School in Chapel Hill, NC has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum certification with the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). This showcases its commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. The three-story, 100,000-square-foot school opened in the fall of 2013. It was designed with the health and well-being of both students and staff in mind. In fact, it represents the first North Carolina LEED Platinum elementary school in North Carolina. Therefore, it sets a precedent for future educational infrastructure in the state.
Green Technologies
The school features green technologies such as solar panels, energy-efficient systems, and rainwater harvesting. All of these contribute to its environmentally friendly profile. Furthermore, the building’s design incorporates plenty of natural light and outdoor spaces. As a result, this promotes a healthy and stimulating learning environment for children.
Our first North Carolina LEED Platinum school in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. For they have partnered with Moseley Architects to design the school to support 585 students. Located in the heart of the Northside neighborhood, the site was originally home to the all African American Orange County Training School.
“We are thrilled to learn of Northside Elementary’s LEED Platinum designation,” said Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Superintendent Tom Forcella. Moseley Architects, and the entire planning team, worked extremely hard to create such an amazing learning facility. It will benefit our students and our community for decades to come.
District Policy 9040
The district’s Policy 9040 for high performance design criteria set the stage for the school to pursue LEED Gold. Consequently, they exceeded that goal through a collaborative effort between the design team and the school district. Furthermore, the school remained on schedule and within budget. In addition, the design features a garden roof area connected to the adjacent science classroom. Additionally, it includes a comprehensive stormwater management plan with an underground rainwater cistern, which supplies water to the toilet fixtures and the cooling tower. Moreover, the site employs pervious pavers and porous playground surfaces. Furthermore, the school has carefully designed windows, tubular skylights, and light shelves, which maximize daylight in classrooms and reduce the energy spent on lighting.
Jim Copeland, Moseley Architects’ managing principal, is proud of what Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools achieved. “I am also particularly pleased that our team was able to achieve their vision. Northside Elementary. It is one of only 20 LEED Platinum public schools in the entire country and one of only four elementary schools.”
Source: Moseley Architects
image source: Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/
