Photo credit: Moseley Architects/Moseley Wilkins & Wood

Overview

• Location: Statesville, NC
• Building type(s): K-12 education
• New construction
• 92,000 ft2 (8,550 m2)
• Project scope: a single building
• Suburban setting
• Completed July 2002
• Rating: U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1--Level: Gold (39 points)

After the local community decided that a new elementary school would serve their needs best, Third Creek Elementary consolidated two aging schools, one that served Kindergarten through grade 2 and another that served grades 3 through 5. Many educational and community use features are incorporated into the design. The administrative offices are located at the main entrance to have good supervision of all visitors. The grade levels are broken down into smaller "houses" comprised of two grade levels each. The gymnasium, stage, and dining room are located so they may operate after hours for community use, while the academic portion of the building is secured.

Environmental Aspects

Third Creek Elementary School is the first K-12 facility to earn a LEED v2.0 Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The computer models of this building show a reduction in annual energy costs by 25% over the ASHRAE 90.1-1999 guidelines. Energy demand was lowered through energy-efficient equipment and design, including extensive daylighting.

Waterless urinals and low-flow plumbing fixtures reduce water consumption more than 30% beyond the requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

The majority of building materials were selected for their contribution to a healthy indoor environment or other environmentally responsible attributes.

Owner & Occupancy

• Owned and occupied by Iredell-Statesville Schools, Local government
• Typically occupied by 800 people, 40 hours per person per week

Building Programs

Indoor Spaces:	Cafeteria (4%), Gymnasium (4%), Office, Public assembly, Classroom, Circulation, Lobby/reception, Restrooms
Outdoor Spaces:	Athletic field, Restored landscape, Interpretive landscape, Wildlife habitat, Garden—decorative, Shade structures/outdoor rooms, Drives/roadway, Playground, Patio/hardscape, Parking

Keywords

Integrated team, Green framework, Green specifications, Commissioning, Performance measurement and verification, Operations and maintenance, Open space preservation, Wildlife habitat, Indigenous vegetation, Stormwater management, Efficient fixtures and appliances, Drought-tolerant landscaping, Massing and orientation, Insulation levels, Glazing, HVAC, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, Benign materials, Recycled materials, Local materials, Certified wood, C&D waste management, Occupant recycling, Connection to outdoors, Natural ventilation, Ventilation effectiveness, Thermal comfort, Low-emitting materials, Indoor air quality monitoring