Atherton Elementary - LEED Profile

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Project Highlights

  • Atherton Elementary School is a 86,000-square-foot, two-story facility nestled in the heart of the fifth ward. The previous school, located on a 5.1-acre site, was demolished and replaced with a new state-of-the-art facility. The school, nearly twice the size of the original facility built in 1957, has 30 classrooms with a science lab on each level. It features a comprehensive library and a multipurpose/recreation room. Each level includes a teacher workroom as well as faculty and student restrooms. An outdoor courtyard at the center of the school provides hands-on learning for science lessons.
  • LEED - Sustainable Overview
    Sustainable Overview
    • Students in close proximity to school: More than 80% of the students live within a half mile of the school, which encourages students to walk to school
    • Safety: All aspects of the facility are secure with fencing and gates around the entire campus
    • Site planting: The school is two stories, which maximized the green space on the site. Plants are selected to be native/adapted plants, which require less irrigation, less maintenance and fewer pesticides and fertilizers
    • Concrete paving of parking lots: The concrete paving features a Solar Reflectance Index of at least 29
  • LEED - Water Efficiency
    Water Efficiency
    • 20% water savings throughout the building
    • 50% water-efficient landscaping reduction
  • LEED - Energy & Atmosphere
    Energy & Atmosphere
    • Ventilation air was pre-treated with outside air chilled water VAV rooftop units that utilize integral heat recovery to minimize energy costs associated with the outside air
    • The lighting system consists of zone-type lighting control in the classrooms, with multi-level lighting control and occupancy sensors
  • LEED - Materials & Resources
    Materials & Resources
    • Nearly 100% of the demolition materials and construction waste was diverted from landfill by recycling
    • 62% of the materials were extracted or manufactured within 500 miles of the site
    • More than 41.4% of the building products, excluding mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, are made with recycled materials
    • 75% of wood is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, supporting responsible forest management
    • The use of Owen Corning “Quiet Zone” Sound Attenuation Batt insulation for noise reduction
  • LEED - Indoor Environmental Air Quality
    Indoor Environmental Air Quality
    • Air quality strategies: Ductwork is kept clean and covered, with testing at construction completion
    • Building is designed for proper ventilation to keep the air clean and fresh
    • Carbon dioxide monitors are provided, and copy machines and chemical rooms have exhaust fans
    • Roll up mats at every entry are scheduled for weekly cleaning
    • All adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, flooring systems, and composite wood products meet the requirements for low VOC (Volatile Organic Contaminants)
  • LEED - Innovation and Design
    Innovation and Design
    • Recycling is encouraged with the incorporation of three recycling stations

  • Achievements

    15%
    reduction in energy consumption
    20%
    reduction in water use
    41%
    recycled content of materials
    62%
    use of local/regional materials
    100%
    construction waste diverted from landfill

  • LEED® Facts

    LEED® for Schools (v2007)

    Design Review Pending

    Seeking Certification
    XX*
    Sustainable Sites
    9/16
    Water Efficiency
    5/7
    Energy & Atmosphere
    10/17
    Materials & Resources
    7/13
    Indoor Environmental Quality
    13/19
    Innovation & Design
    5/6

    * Out of a possible 78 points
  • Project Information
    • Owner: Houston Independent School District (HISD)
    • Address: 2011 Solo Street, Houston, TX 77020
    • Architect: IDG Architects
    • Civil Engineer: ESPA Corp.
    • MEP Engineer: Infrastructure Associates
    • Structural Engineer: ASA/DALLY Consulting
    • LEED Commissioning Agent: Carol Vick Architects
    • CMAR: Cadence McShane Corp.
    • Project Size: 86,000 SF
    • Total Project Cost: $15,859,000
    • Opened: August 2013

LEED Document

  • About LEED®
    The LEED® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the national benchmark for the design, construction, and operations of high-performance green buildings. Visit the U.S.Green Building Council’s Web site at www.usgbc.org to learn more about how you can make LEED® work for you.