Clarke County, Va., broke ground last summer on a new $23.3 million high school.
The 161,000-square-foot building features classrooms and labs for general, special education, business and science study, in addition to five technical education labs. Complementing core classroom space are a band and fine-arts room, two additional art rooms, a computer lab and a media center.
Also included is an auditorium with seating for 706 and a gymnasium with seating for 1,148, which includes a college regulation-sized basketball court. The cafeteria and open food court includes a full-service kitchen to serve students quickly and efficiently. An extensive energy-modeling exercise was performed during the design phase.
In comparing the new high school building with ASHRAE 90.1 minimum standards, it is projected that the new Clarke County High School will have an overall energy usage (gas and electric) of 20 percent less than the minimum standards. The regulated energy cost (LEED criteria) for the building is estimated to be 19 percent better than the minimum standard. The facility, with capacity for 884 students, will be constructed on 44 acres of a 58-acre parcel. Completion is scheduled for 2012.
Architect for the project is Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), and contractor is Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc. (Winchester, Va.)
