North Carolina announces first LEED Platinum elementary school

RALEIGH, NC, July 30, 2014 -- Northside Elementary School, located in the town of Chapel Hill, N.C., recently earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum certification with the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Opened in fall of 2013, the three-story, 100,000-square-foot facility represents the first LEED Platinum elementary school in North Carolina.

The design incorporates a garden roof area connected to the adjacent science classroom; a comprehensive stormwater management plan that includes an underground rainwater cistern that supplies water to the toilet fixtures and cooling tower, pervious pavers and porous playground surfaces; and carefully-designed windows, tubular skylights and light shelves to help reduce the energy spent for lighting.

The design integrates many sustainable features and embodies a truly sustainable approach to a small site. The district's Policy 9040 for high-performance design criteria sets the stage for the school to pursue LEED Gold. However, through a collaborative effort between the design team and the school district, that goal was surpassed while still remaining on schedule and within budget.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools partnered with Moseley Architects to design a new school to support 585 students. Located in the heart of the Northside neighborhood, the site was originally home to the Orange County Training School. Since 1924, this location has functioned as a site of education, and the school's design embraces the rich history of the community and the alumni.

See also:

"VA elementary school earns LEED Silver Certification for green infrastructure"

"Moorhead Environmental Complex achieves LEED Platinum"

About Moseley Architects

Moseley Architects offers clients extensive educational design expertise earned over the firm's 45-year history and has partnered with more than 140 public schools systems. Focused on designing buildings that reduce their environmental impact and use less energy, the firm has designed 59 LEED certified projects ranging from platinum to certified status. For more information, visit www.moseleyarchitects.com.

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