Henrico County's two newest schools – Glen Allen High School and Holman Middle School – recently earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, as verified by the Green Building Certification Institute.

Glen Allen High School achieved LEED certification at the gold level. The school features an abundance of natural light, and through efficiency considerations in the building’s roof and wall construction, lighting systems and mechanical system, it is modeled to require 28 percent less energy than a minimally code-compliant design. A 50,000-gallon cistern collects storm water from the roof, which is reused for flushing. This cistern, combined with low-plumbing fixtures, results in an 80 percent water use reduction versus a school using standard plumbing systems.

“HCPS and Moseley Architects had a vision for Glen Allen to become a LEED certified school and we continually worked toward this goal,” said Tracie Weston, the principal at Glen Allen. “The entire Glen Allen learning community celebrates this achievement and we are proud to be an environmentally friendly school.”

Holman Middle School received certification at the silver level and features efficient mechanical equipment and high-performance lighting systems, which are estimated to reduce the facility’s energy use by 30 percent (compared to a minimally code-compliant baseline design) as well as low-flow plumbing fixtures that reduce water use by approximately 40 percent compared to standard fixtures.

“We are honored to be the first LEED certified middle school in the county,” said Holman Middle School Principal Brian Fellows.

Two more “green” schools in Henrico County will join Glen Allen High School and Holman Middle School. The school system currently has two LEED registered projects, a West Area Elementary School and an East Area High School. These projects will also pursue LEED throughout the design and construction process.

“(LEED certification) is an incredible accomplishment,” said Jim McCalla, vice president of Moseley Architects, the design firm hired to build the schools. “There has really been a shift in the K-12 world toward higher building standards.”