As the architects working under the district 2012 bond program start designing new schools, their goal will be to create 21st century, sustainable schools.
What that means precisely was the focus of discussion Monday at a half-day ‘Sustaining Momentum’ workshop, which laid out the goals and expectations of the district as it moves forward with the $1.89 billion bond program, which will build or replace 40 schools across the city.
Berry Elementary School, built under the 2007 bond program, has earned LEED Silver certification.
Water-collection systems, recyclable materials and healthier learning and teaching spaces are among the topics to be discussed at HISD’s “Sustaining Momentum” workshop for architect and engineering teams working under the 2012 bond program.
Ideas shared during the half-day workshop on Monday, July 29, will help district officials set sustainability goals for schools under the $1.89 billion construction program, which will replace or rebuild 40 schools across the city.
First-graders Isai Rogel, left, and Fatima Carranza prepare to recycle materials from their class at Lewis Elementary school.
Imagine a school building that can be used as a teaching tool. Or a campus with roof-top gardens, energy-saving lighting and a curriculum designed not only to help students learn, but to encourage them to be better stewards of the environment.
Through a partnership with The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) under NWF’s Eco-Schools USA program, HISD hopes to make this vision a vital part of the $1.89 billion 2012 bond that will replace or rebuild 40 schools across the city.
The Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council presented HISD with its Green Pioneer Award on Thursday in recognition of the district’s “unwavering dedication to building sustainable schools for generations.”
The award was accepted at an evening ceremony by Board of Education Trustees Paula Harris and Harvin Moore.
Peck Elementary, at 5001 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., is LEED certified, with a projected energy savings of 16.5 percent per year.
HISD Superintendent Terry Grier and Chief Elementary Schools Officer Sam Sarabia joined a host of community notables, activists, elected officials, and former teachers on Jan. 20 to dedicate the new Lora B. Peck Elementary School.
Dr. Grier thanked Peck Principal Carlotta Brown for her dedication and leadership, citing recent challenges with flooding during the weeks leading up to the ceremony. “She was supposed to be celebrating her anniversary, at dinner with her husband,” he said, “but she was here at Peck, making sure each student was safe.”
The dedication program, entitled “Dreams Do Come True,” featured performances by Hanq Neal, minister of music at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, and Ballet Folklorico by Compania Alegria Mexican.
The new Peck campus, which was built with funds from the 2007 Bond Program, is considered a “high-performance” or “green” building, built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
Key features in LEED schools include the installation of water-conserving plumbing, energy efficient systems and controls, improved air quality, and use of natural light. Peck, which will use 38 percent less water than a similarly built, less-energy-efficient elementary school, is projected to have an energy savings of 16.5 percent per year.
| New Campuses, Renovations Across the District Major facility upgrades are happening at schools across the city thanks to the $805 million bond proposal that voters approved in 2007. Thousands of students at 15 elementary schools are enjoying newly constructed campuses, and many more students will have the same opportunity as HISD works to complete six new campuses in 2012 and expands an additional 10 campuses in time for the 2012-2013 school year. To see what’s changing in your neighborhood, visit hisdprojects.com. |