Windrush School Presents: The Elements of Green Building

"The Elements of Green Building" will discuss environmentally responsible practices both as they have been applied to Windrush School's new classroom and library building and in a larger context, providing the tools and inspiration to integrate sustainable ideas into future building or renovation projects. The presenters, architect Brian Feagans of Ratcliff Architects and Windrush School Trustees Jon McPherson and Tom Beach, have extensive professional experience in green building, renewable energy, and construction management.

Windrush School's innovative "green" classroom and library building is currently under construction and will open in the fall of 2008. When considering various plans to accommodate the continued growth of this popular K-8 school, the Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to take on the additional challenges of a "green building" in order to tangibly model the concept of environmental awareness and responsibiility that is taught in the classroom. The new building uses sustainable, environmentally-friendly materials and is being constructed following guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

The new two-story building will include seven state-of-the-art classrooms and an expanded library. This project furthers the school's mission by making it possible to offer a Windrush education to more students, honor the local environment by preserving as much of the campus's expansive open space, and respect the global environment by minimizing the new building's short and long-term resource use. The new building pays homage to the past by incorporating key design elements that echo the grace and solidity of the historic Chung Mei Home that is the main building on the campus. The new building is a tangible expression of the school's respect for the environment-built to sustain both the school and the planet.