Local school receives LEED Gold rating for sustainability

A press release today announced that Kennedy Community School in St. Joseph, MN has earned a LEED Gold rating from the US Green Building Council. I was involved in the project from the early stages in 2006, largely as a "green building gadfly" who threw out crazy ideas and researched alternatives with the design team. The school was designed to meet the LEED Silver standard but exceeded that in its first two years of operation.

Kudos to GLT Architects and the St. Cloud School District #742 team!

-Dr.DRL
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Kennedy School Receives USGBC® Gold Certification

St. Joseph, MN (April 26, 2010) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded St.Cloud Area School District 742’s Kennedy Community School in St. Joseph, Minnesota, with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Schools (LEED®) certification at the GOLD level.

The LEED Green Building Rating System is a nationally accepted benchmark for evaluating sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere efficiency, material and resource selection and indoor environmental quality. Points can also be achieved for innovation in design.

“GLTArchitects (GLTA) and their design team partnered with the school district and members of the community in 2006 to design a school that would save energy and be sensitive to the environment, and which would be designed to create opportunities to teach the students and the community about sustainable practices,” said GLTArchitects’ Principal Architect, David Leapaldt.

Kennedy Community School earned this special recognition for numerous key design accomplishments. The building minimizes environmental impacts through several site-related measures, such as an infiltration basin which manages 100% of all on-site storm water. A partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service installed 40 acres of native wildlife habitat on the site that is maintained with the help of
the students. Parking was situated so that one impervious surface meets the needs of school and outdoor athletics activities. Wells were installed for the athletic fields to avoid using potable city water to maintain them. Water efficiencies were incorporated into the design of the building to reduce water use by over 30%.

Reduced operating costs are achieved through a geothermal heat pump system using the natural cycles of the earth for heating and cooling, reducing the dependence on fossil fuels. “In two winters, we have not burned one ounce of fossil fuel on site,” said Principal, Diane Moeller. Electrical energy usage is also minimized. Classroom windows are designed to maximize daylight, with sensors reducing light levels or
even turning off the lights when sufficient natural light is available. Tubular skylights are installed in interior corridors, reducing or eliminating the need for artificial lighting of the corridors during the day. Overall, the building uses 39% less energy than the benchmark standards.During construction, 78% or 563 tons, of all construction waste was diverted from a landfill, and over 20% of all materials used in the project were manufactured regionally.

Indoor environmental quality is carefully controlled to provide an atmosphere that is both healthy and comfortable. A “displacement ventilation” system was installed that allows more fresh air to be provided and supplies it at a lower velocity to greatly reduce the sound of the ventilation system. Materials selected throughout the school are environmentally sensitive in their make-up and manufacture and require far lower levels of ongoing maintenance. The team also received recognition for the school as a teaching tool. “Our sustainability curriculum spans all grade levels and is embedded in most curricular areas. We are fortunate to be able to teach
sustainability through the use of a green building as the base,” said Moeller.

“A lot of detail goes into the design and the submittal for LEED certification of a facility,” said GLTA Project Architect and LEED Project Team Administrator, Steve Paasch. “The school district and our project partners were critical to ensure the information was accurate and timely. This USGBC Gold Certification is proof that the Kennedy Community School performs to the environmental levels established by the school district and the community.” Grooters Leapaldt Tideman Architects (GLTArchitects) is a full-service architectural firm based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, providing quality, sustainable architectural services and design for clients throughout the Upper Midwest. Learn more about GLTArchitects and the project at www.gltarchitects.com.

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