Chartwell School - Seaside, California

Seaside, Calif. – Chartwell School has become the first completeeducational campus ever to be awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the USGBC’s leading-edge system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, energy efficient, high performing buildings. “What began as a quest to build an educational environment in which all learners find success has become an industry standard,” said Chartwell School Executive Director Douglas Atkins.

Chartwell School was engineered for success to achieve LEED Platinum Certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. To accomplish these goals, industry leader EHDD Architecture and general contractor Ausonio, Inc. designed and built a number of innovative features, including a 32-kilowatt solar array from Blueline Power. LEED verifies environmental performance, occupant health and financial return, and was established for market leaders to design and construct buildings that protect and save precious resources while also making good economic sense.

“Chartwell School is to be congratulated for achieving LEED Platinum Certification, and student well-being will benefit from the fresh air and natural day light,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO, Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED Platinum Certification of Chartwell School was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include:

· Net Zero Electricity Design — Chartwell School has a 32 kilowatt photovoltaic system, estimated to produce more than 53 million watt hours annually and offset the production of 54,000 lbs. of CO₂ annually

· Water saving — Simple choices like waterless urinals, dual flush toilets and an 8,700 gallon rainwater cistern reduced campus water usage by 60%

· Sustainable framing — building 24 inches on center rather than 16 inches used 30% less wood while maintaining high construction standards, and the majority of the new wood used in the project was Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified to verify that the wood originated from sustainable sources

· Design for Disassembly — Chartwell School received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and implement new ways of designing buildings for disassembly to allow for classroom relocation and further campus building phases. For example, wood siding was fastened with clips screwed into the backing for ease of disassembly

· Slag Concrete — adding slag, a waste byproduct from iron-ore production, to the concrete mix achieved a high-quality product that is stronger, lighter in color, and reduces CO₂ emissions by 70% compared to conventional concrete

· Daylighting and lighting controls — skylights and windows were sized and placed to take advantage of the sun. Natural lighting saves electricity, radically down scales the HVAC system requirements, and has been shown to enhance student learning in language arts and mathematics by 20% or more

· Low VOC installations — Chartwell School intentionally selected furnishings, finishes, materials and equipment specifically designed to eliminate pollution from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and other sources, reducing the likelihood of irritating or toxic fumes. CO₂ sensors in rooms monitor and adjust natural ventilation as needed

The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit community of leaders working to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated. USGBC envisions an environmentally responsible, healthy, and prosperous built environment that improves the quality of life. Founded in 1993, the Council now comprises more than 9,500 member organizations representing every sector of the building industry; a 90-person professional staff; and a network of over 70 local chapters, affiliates and organizing groups. USGBC offers a broad portfolio of LEED® green building products and services; professional education programs; and the industry's popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. Visit www.usgbc.org to learn more.

The LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary third party rating system where credits are earned for satisfying specified green building criteria. Projects are evaluated within six environmental categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of green building certification are awarded based on the total credits earned. The LEED standard has been adopted nationwide by federal agencies, state and local governments, and interested private companies as the industry standard of measurement for green building.

Forty percent of all children will find learning to read the hardest academic task during their school experience. This type of learning difference cuts across gender lines and often runs in families. There is no cure,but there are ways to overcome, and educational success or failure often determines the outcome of the rest of a child’s life. Since 1983, Chartwell School has been dedicated to reversing this trend by providing children through grade eight with the learning skills and self-esteem necessary to succeed and return to mainstream education. Leadership gifts that helped to make Chartwell’s new campus possible were provided by The Kresge Foundation, the Catherine L. and Robert O. McMahan Foundation and an anonymous donor.

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