September 18, 2006 --- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chartwell Leads Nation In Green Design
MEDIA ALERT
September 18, 2006
Chartwell School
Charity-Joy Acchiardo
cjacchiardo@chartwell.org
831.394.6419 or 394.3468
CHARTWELL LEADS NATION IN “GREEN” DESIGN
WHAT: Students, faculty, alumni, parents, donors, and civic leaders will celebrate the opening of Chartwell’s new, “green” campus overlooking Monterey Bay on the former Ft. Ord. The new school’s sustainable design includes energy-saving and innovative features and has already won national attention.
Through Chartwell’s new campus, students and the community will have the opportunity to learn about scientific and engineering aspects of conservation. Among the school’s new “green” features are rooms designed with careful attention to ventilation and acoustics, radiant floor heating, and ample natural daylight, which has been shown to increase learning by 20% and more. Using a solar photovoltaic system, the new campus generates its own electricity, resulting in net-zero energy use. Water-conserving fixtures and a cistern to capture rainwater help preserve the Monterey Peninsula’s precious water supply.
The campus was designed by architectural firm EHDD of San Francisco, who also designed the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Monterey Peninsula College Library, and the CSUMB Library. Monterey County could soon have the first elementary school in the nation built to meet the highest standards for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED Platinum. Chartwell also meets California standards for High Performance Schools. Since schools and other projects are increasingly being designed to meet these standards, the new campus is serving as a resource for other projects.
Since 1983, Chartwell School has educated students with a wide range of specific language-based learning difficulties, including dyslexia, in ways that provide them with the learning skills and self-esteem necessary to return successfully to mainstream education. Chartwell is the only school of its kind in the tri-county areas of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz. The school offers an active financial aid program as well as a variety of outreach programs to share knowledge and experience with the community. Chartwell currently enrolls 121 boys and girls, ages 6-14.
WHEN: October 7, 2006; 11:30 a.m. BBQ; 12:30 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony
WHERE: 2511 Numa Watson Road (off Normandy Rd.) at Ft. Ord.
WHY: This is an opportunity to showcase to the community the benefits of sustainable building, environmental preservation, and renewable energy. The event will have numerous visual opportunities, with a beautiful, high performance building, enthusiastic students and parents exploring the new campus, and the many “green” features, such as an electricity meter running backwards as the campus produces more energy than it uses!
Driving Directions: From Highway 1 take the Main CSUMB Exit, cross Gen. Jim Moore Blvd. onto Lightfighter Drive and continue, bearing right. Turn left onto Gigling, Turn right onto Parker Flats Cutoff, Turn right onto Normandy. Turn left on to Numa Watson and follow signs for parking.
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