In January 2010, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) awarded Crossroads College Preparatory School, in St. Louis, MO, platinum certification, the highest level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification, making it:

• One of only six schools in the nation to earn such a distinction.
• The only K-12 LEED Platinum Certified school in the Midwest.
• The first LEED Certified K-12 school building in the St. Louis metropolitan region.

Crossroads College Preparatory School hopes to provide an example to other school districts and non-profits on how to build a sustainable facility and do so within a reasonable budget. The school takes great pride in this award and is happy that students will graduate from Crossroads College Prep with an understanding of the environmental issues facing our world and an example of how to address some of these problems. 18,046 square feet of the main school building were renovated and a new 9,079-square-foot addition was added to house a new library and modern science classrooms for biology, physics and chemistry.

Specific features of the building that helped garner the platinum certification include:

• Dual-flush water closets, pint urinals and low-flow lavatory fixtures to maximize the project’s overall water savings.
• An inclusive stormwater plan, including bio-swales, a rain garden and space for a future outdoor classroom.
• Use of 100 percent concrete paving instead of asphalt to minimize the heat-island effect.
• The designation of preferred parking for low-emitting/fuel-efficient vehicles.
• Permeable walkways and very limited hardscape.

The HVAC system is equipped with a special energy recovery system that reduces the costs of heating ventilated air in the winter by transferring heat from the warm inside air being exhausted to the fresh (but cold) supply air.  In the summer, the inside air cools the warmer supply air to reduce ventilation, cooling costs. A few other unique features are:

• The addition of natural daylight to improve indoor environmental quality.
• A solar hot water system, which provides the majority of the hot water in the addition.
• Non-PVC-based resilient tile that includes no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and is a healthier flooring alternative.
• The incorporation of recycled materials, including the use of previously donated carpet for the library, and the diversion of more than 95 percent of the construction and demolition waste from the landfill by way of reuse and recycling centers

Now that construction is complete and the building has successfully achieved LEED Platinum Certification, the school makes sustainability part of its curriculum and an integral part of Crossroads College Prep’s culture. Prominently located at the main entrance, educational information about the building has been incorporated into signage visible to all visitors, staff and students, and real-time building monitoring data can be seen on a flat panel in the front lobby. To preserve the exceptional indoor air quality achieved during design and construction, the school is also committed to the inclusion of a green cleaning management program that addresses both cleaning products and procedures.

About Crossroads College Preparatory School:

Crossroads College Preparatory School offers an academically challenging curriculum to a diverse and inclusive community of students in grades seven through twelve.

Crossroads College Prep encourages its students to engage their imaginations in every endeavor, ranging from the sciences to the fine arts, and strives to develop respectful citizens, who apply scholarship, imagination, and critical thinking to civic and social responsibility in their communities and beyond.

Crossroads College Preparatory School

www.crossroadscollegeprep.org

This post is from guest author Amy Rhodes, Manager of Communications and Special Events at Crossroads College Preparatory School.

[Image courtesy of the author]