press release

VMDO Architects Garners Virginia's First Elementary School LEED Gold Certification

February 25, 2010

VMDO Architects-designed Poquoson Elementary School has been certified as the first LEED Gold elementary school in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Located in the city of Poquoson on the eastern tip of Virginia’s lower Peninsula, the new school was built after Hurricane Isabel in 2003 flooded much of the city, including the elementary school. By taking advantage of its unique setting, the school’s design facilitates an understanding of the physical and social context of Poquoson and its relationship to the larger world. Poquoson Elementary houses all of the City’s 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students, and can be expanded to include the 6th grade in the future.

“It is extremely gratifying that Poquoson Elementary School has been awarded the first LEED Gold elementary school in Virginia,” says Bob Moje, Principal, VMDO Architects. “The common goals of achieving excellence in education , preserving its unique coastal environment, and providing an affordable architectural solution with long-term savings for Poquoson made our collaboration with the community a dynamic and creative experience for all.”

“Poquoson Elementary School represents VMDO’s mission to create innovative educational environments in a safe and healthy place where children can thrive and succeed,” notes Steve Davis, VMDO Architects’ Director of Sustainability. “In addition, we hope our school building designs encourage students to become future environmental stewards of their own.”

About Poquoson Elementary School

Poquoson Elementary School is an 80,000 square foot building designed to foster improved learning opportunities for the students. The design includes three pods, each containing a breakout room and ten classrooms. The building houses additional resource rooms as well as a full-size gym for student and community use. Poquoson Elementary School is a 21st century building that includes technology throughout the classrooms and common areas.

The school boasts a high efficiency geothermal heating and cooling system which pumps groundwater through a series of underground wells. Additional environmentally conscious measures include the infusion of natural lighting and integrated dimmer systems throughout the building. Learning will also occur outside on the 22 acre school grounds which include a boardwalk and newly created wetlands that will serve as learning laboratories for students. Since its opening in the fall of 2008, the school has received various awards which include the James River Green Building Council Go Green Design Merit Award and the Council of Educational Facility Planners International Design Concept Award.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN ELEMENTS

STORMWATER : Constructed wetlands are a component of the stormwater management plan as well as an integral part of the elementary curriculum. Two acres of wetlands were added with help from funding granted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Fourth graders participated in the wetland planting.

ENERGY : Ground source heat pumps combined with energy recovery and daylight harvesting reduce the school’s modeled energy use by 47.5% over a code compliant school of the same size.

NATURAL LIGHT : All classrooms are oriented north and south. South-facing classrooms have light shelves to harvest light, prevent glare, and reduce passive solar heat gain. Lights are automatically controlled by sensors to reduce electric loads.

WATER : Pint flush urinals reduce water consumption by an anticipated 149,000 gallons per year. Dual flush toilets further reduce the water use by 74,000 gallons / year.

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY : Operable windows provide fresh air and offer spectacular views of the wetlands and Bay beyond. A dedicated outside air system improves indoor air quality and maximizes energy efficiency.

MATERIALS : Materials were selected and screened for high recycled content, toxicity and embodied carbon. Examples include agrifiber wall panels, high fly ash concrete and parallel strand lumber beam.

About VMDO Architects

Over the past 33 years, VMDO Architects has focused on customized planning and design for a variety of clients throughout the United States. The firm specializes in design for K-12 public schools and higher education institutions. VMDO designs schools because they recognize the impact that architecture has on education and thus, they approach design from the perspective of the educator. They strive to create designs that are suited to the needs of the community, offering an inspiring and engaging environment that translates into meaningful buildings of lasting value. With twenty-four LEED-accredited professionals and eighteen LEED-registered projects, the firm has established a leadership position in energy-efficient and sustainable design. VMDO Architects has thus earned a reputation for progressive, sustainable, high-quality, and cost-effective programming, design, renovation, and planning.

About LEED Certification

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

VMDO Architects was founded in 1976 and is the youngest firm to receive the T. David Fitz-Gibbon Virginia Architecture Award, the most prestigious honor given by the Virginia Society of American Institute of Architects.

For further information, interview, and photography opportunities in reference to this project and VMDO Architects, please contact William Bishop at 434.296.5684, email at bishop@vmdo.com.