DeKalb County Expected to LEED The Way for Georgia Schools

ATLANTA — The DeKalb County School System started construction of a new high school that is expected to achieve LEED silver certification and set new building standards for the district and the state.

Arabia Mountain High School, scheduled to open in January 2009, will be the first LEED-certified public school in the state of Georgia, according to reports.

Designed by architectural firm Perkins+Will, the school will combine green design with an environmentally focused curriculum to reduce the building’s impact on its surroundings, while educating students and staff about sustainability.

The school is located in Arabia Mountain Heritage Area, a 2,000-acre preserve with wetlands, granite outcroppings, pine and oak forests, streams, and a lake. The facility will establish a visual and physical connection to the preserve with walls of glass that will offer views of Arabia Mountain and the surrounding forestland, and biking and walking paths that connect to trails inside the preserve.

To reduce the campus’ environmental impact, construction materials will be 10 percent to 20 percent recycled, and construction waste will be sorted and recycled. Emissions and transportation costs will also be reduced by obtaining materials that have been processed and manufactured within 500 miles of the school site, including stone, brick, concrete and steel.

Other features will include low-flow plumbing fixtures, waterless urinals, sink sensors and dual-flush valves for toilets. Water will also be conserved outside the facility through the use of native landscaping and bio-swales with natural plantings to filter and clean water runoff from areas, such as the parking lot, before returning it to the stream system.

Energy-efficient heating and air-conditioning systems will also help reduce energy costs for the school, along with abundant daylighting in classrooms, which officials expect will improve student health and academic performance and reduce absenteeism.

Students at Arabia Mountain High will participate in the state’s first extended environment focus program, a hands-on curriculum that will incorporate the school and the mountain preserve to teach sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Construction is scheduled for completion in fall 2008. Turner Construction is overseeing construction of the project.

Taking cue from its surroundings, the facility will be constructed of 10 percent to 20 percent recycled materials, from concrete to steel framing, and will include water-efficient features, such as low-flow fixtures for sinks, showers and water fountains, and dual-flush valves for toilets.