T. Clay Wood Elementary School in Nokesville Receives LEED Silver Certification

T. Clay Wood Elementary School in Nokesville, VA has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED^®) Silver Certification with the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Opening in 2011, the 104,000-square-foot school shares a site with the county's 11th high school—Patriot High School.

Prince William County Public Schools (PWCPS) partnered with architects and engineers at Moseley Architects to tailor the two-story prototypical design originally created for Triangle Elementary School. Intended to educate 850 students, the world class facility features state-of-the-art classrooms to engage students and inspire creativity and critical thinking. In an effort to provide a safe, positive, and responsible learning environment, PWCPS emphasized the importance of LEED Silver certification early in the design process.

Jim McCalla , managing principal for the project and vice president with Moseley Architects reflected on the design process, "I believe we met our team's goal to create a functional and durable facility to meet increased student enrollments."

Notable strategies included using rain cisterns to capture stormwater runoff and use for irrigation, providing over 40 percent of vegetated open space to promote biodiversity and use for instructional and recreational purposes, and employing highly-reflective roof materials to reduce the heat island effect and promote a cooler building. The team's designers and engineers also worked with PWCPS to redesign the standard mechanical system in lieu of a more efficient system that is capable of exceeding previously established minimum standards. Additionally, over 75 percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills and a school-wide recycling program was implemented for staff and students.