Photo credit: Duane Lempke, Sisson Studios

Overview

• Location: Arlington, VA
• Building type(s): Recreation, K-12 education, Daycare
• New construction
• 50,300 ft2 (4,680 m2)
• Project scope: 3-story building
• Urban setting
• Completed September 2003
• Rating: U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1--Level: Silver (35 points)

A replacement for the first African American elementary school in Arlington (built in the 1920s), Langston High School Continuation and Langston-Brown Community Center is a multiuse, multigenerational facility that sets a new standard for facilities in Arlington. Three programs—an alternative high school, a community recreation department incorporating both senior and teen programs, and the Arlington Community Action Program's Head Start program—share the building, using it from 7:45 am through 10:00 pm on weekdays. Facilities include a community historical archive room, meeting rooms, a game room, an exercise room, a dance room, and a community picnic pavilion.

Environmental Aspects

Langston High School was the first building in Virginia to obtain LEED(r) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Environmentally responsible aspects of the site include pervious asphalt in the parking spaces, electric-vehicle charging stations, and a bioretention area. Two 11,000-gallon tanks store rainwater for onsite irrigation, sidewalk washing, and other uses. Waterless urinals also contribute to the project's 23% reduction in potable water use, compared with a baseline model.

The indoor environment features adhesives, solvents, paints, and carpets with low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Each classroom provides at least four switches to control lighting levels. Sunshades provide indirect daylighting while maintaining views in more than 90% of the building's occupied spaces. Additional daylighting in every third-floor classroom comes from clerestory windows. A stained concrete floor system was used in lieu of vinyl composition tile.

Owner & Occupancy

• Owned and occupied by Arlington Public Schools, Arlington County, Local government
• Typically occupied by 197 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 210 visitors per week, 4 hours per visitor per week

Building Programs

Indoor Spaces:

Restrooms, Conference, Elder care, Cafeteria, Child care, Gymnasium, Classroom, Circulation, Office

Keywords

Integrated team, Design charrette, Green specifications, Commissioning, Performance measurement and verification, Operations and maintenance, Transportation benefits, Brownfield redevelopment, Stormwater management, Water harvesting, Efficient fixtures and appliances, Efficient irrigation, Drought-tolerant landscaping, Graywater, Passive solar, HVAC, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, Adaptable design, Recycled materials, Local materials, Certified wood, C&D waste management, Occupant recycling, Daylighting, Ventilation effectiveness, Low-emitting materials