Westview K-8 Awarded Prestigious LEEDŽ Gold Building Certification
Jacksonville, FL – Westview K-8, a Duval County Public School that opened in August of 2009, has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. It is one of the first public K-12 new construction projects that has achieved LEED certification in Northeast Florida.
LEED is the nation's pre-eminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. Additionally, studies have shown that LEED schools decrease absenteeism/sick days, and increase test scores by 15 to 20 percent.
There are four levels of LEED certification - Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum – and each level of certification is a great achievement. The higher levels of certification indicate more sustainable concepts and systems were incorporated in the project.
For Westview, achieving LEED Gold was a process that started even before the school was designed. The School Board and district staff, along with the builders and engineers, made a commitment to be a leader in the community by achieving LEED certification. Initially, the commitment was made to obtain LEED Silver, but through the efforts of everyone involved, expectations were exceeded and Gold was awarded.
LEED Gold certification of Westview K-8 was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include:
- Very efficient HVAC, lighting systems and building insulation, resulting in a 27.5% reduction in energy consumption compared to energy code;
- 30 percent reduction in water consumption ;
- On-site solar energy generation;
- Excellent filtration for improved air quality;
- Daylight harvesting lighting system uses daylight to light classrooms and save energy, when appropriate;
- Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) used in building materials;
- 20 percent of the building materials used were made from recycled materials, and 40 percent were bought from local suppliers to improve local economy and reduce impact of transportation of goods
- More than 80 percent of the construction waste was recycled; and
- 20% of materials used were made from recycled materials.
During the school year, sustainable courses are incorporated into the curriculum, and the building is used as a learning tool to educate students and teachers.
Duval County Public Schools, the nation's 21st largest school district, operates 166 schools and serves approximately 123,000 students. The school district is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities that will inspire all students to acquire and use the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a global economy, and culturally diverse world.
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