Austin ISD has been designing new schools with the environment in mind for many years, but Guerrero Thompson Elementary School is our first school to receive dual green building certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED and Austin Energy’s Green Building programs. Guerrero Thompson received LEED Silver designation and a four-star rating from Austin Energy. This is a feat we are proud of and hope you are, too.
Sustainable Design Features During Construction
- Kept nearly 1,000 tons of trash out of the landfill during 1,000 construction.
- Overall, 95 percent of the waste created during construction was recycled or repurposed.
Additionally, the school's green design is estimated to:
- Avoid $20,000 in annual energy costs, a 20 percent savings compared to a conventionally designed school.
- Keep more than 1.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases out of the air. That’s equivalent to planting 165 trees or taking 150 cars off the road for a year.
- Save enough electricity annually to light more than 135 households.
- Save enough water annually to fill 25 backyard swimming pools.
Green Building Information Gateway Activity - LEED Dashboard
- Energy and Atmosphere (10/33)
- Materials and Resources (7/13)
- Indoor Environmental Quality (9/19)
- Sustainable Sites (20/24)
- Water Efficiency (2/11)
- Innovation in Design (5/6)
LEED Schools 2009 Silver certified on 08/19/2014*
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.
Background*
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.
* from Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, announcements