Wakefield High School Receives LEED Gold Certification

Wakefield High School Receives LEED Gold Certification Wakefield High School has been awarded Gold Certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program by the US Green Building Council. The LEED rating system was designed by the US Green Building Council to encourage and facilitate the development of more sustainable buildings. The rating system is divided into five categories including; water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality. There is also a category on innovation and design process. Buildings receive points for each of the LEED rating system categories. A building needs between 39-51 points to achieve a Gold rating. Wakefield received 46 points, just shy of the minimum points needed for LEED Platinum. Some of the features of the new building designed to receive points under the LEED rating system, include:

• Geothermal HVAC system
• Solar hot water panels
• Rain garden landscape feature for on-site storm water management
• Recycling construction waste
• Low-emitting materials to create high indoor air qualityWaste heat from mechanical system used to heat the pool
• Energy efficient windows to reduce energy consumption
• CO2 monitors to regulate fresh air flow
• Daylight harvesting – light sensors that dim artificial light to respond to natural light levels
• Reforestation adjacent to existing mature forested areas using native vegetation

Wakefield was designed by Bowie Gridley Architects. The Construction Manager was Gilbane Building Company and the General Contractor was Forrester Construction Company.