Hopewell Elementary School in Center Valley, Pa., has received LEED Gold certification for its sustainable design and construction.
The 500-student 58,500-square-foot facility in the Southern Lehigh School District opened in 2016-17 and has space to accommodate 500 students in kindergarten to third grade.
The U.S. Green Building Council, which awards LEED certification to environmentally conscious facility project designs, says Hopewell received 66 of a possible 110 LEED points to earn its Gold rating.
Among the high-performance strategies that contributed to the LEED certification are a ground-mounted solar array to supplement the electric supply, a geothermal mechanical system, a high-albedo roof system to reduce the heat island effect, LED lighting with occupancy sensors in learning spaces, and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
More than 80 percent of construction waste was recycled and diverted from landfills.
The architect is KCBA Architects.
