Guerrero Thompson Elementary School Awarded LEED Silver Certification

AUSTIN, Texas (March 11, 2015) – Austin Independent School District (AISD) was awarded its first LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for Guerrero Thompson Elementary School, for which Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (The Center) – an Austin-based nonprofit organization developing innovative systems that create healthy, sustainable communities – served as sustainability and LEED consultant.

Guerrero Thompson Elementary School is the eighth new school to be built through the voter-approved 2004 Bond Program, which directed funds in each construction project for environmental and energy-saving measures. The school, which opened in Fall 2013, relieves overcrowding in the north central area of the District. It achieved a LEED for Schools Silver certification and an Austin Energy Green Building 4-Star Rating.

LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council’s green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. To achieve LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points that determine the certification level achieved. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), an independent, third-party global certification and credentialing body, assesses LEED projects and awards certifications.

The Center assisted the Guerrero Thompson project team in achieving credits in Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation in Design. Green achievements of the project include:

·       Diversion of nearly 1,000 tons of construction debris from the landfill representing 95% of total construction debris generated

·       Savings of about $20,000 in annual energy costs (about 20% savings compared to a conventionally designed school), that prevents more than 1 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into air

·      Reduction in irrigation water use by 60% and indoor water use by 25%.

·       Enhancement of indoor environmental quality and occupant comfort through appropriate ventilation, operational strategies such as green housekeeping and integrated pest management that reduce use of toxic chemicals, and use of low-emissions building materials, including adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, flooring, and composite wood and agrifiber.

The Center has been honored to collaborate on this project as part of its involvement with the AISD Energy and Water Conservation and Sustainability initiative (EWaS), joining with ACR Engineering, Inc. and Studio D Consulting + Design. These achievements contribute to a healthy, sustainable environment for children in the Austin community. For more information, see the AISD webpage on Guerrero Thompson Elementary School’s Green Building Celebration here.