By: Deborah Johnson Wood
In the past decade, West Michigan developers have made Grand Rapids one of the 'greenest' cities on record, and as the Grand Rapids Public Schools continue to upgrade its educational facilities its fitting that one local competition focuses on LEED design principles for the proposed renovation of Brookside Elementary School.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nation’s leading set of standards for the construction and certification of sustainable buildings.
The 2008 Natural Talent Design Competition asks university level designers or those who have graduated in the past five years to create a plan that incorporates LEED standards into the existing 54-year-old building, or to design new construction using LEED for Schools criteria. The competition is sponsored by the United States Green Building Council's West Michigan chapter
"The USGBC has a goal of having every child in a green school within one generation," says Sam Pobst, chair of the USGBC Regional Council, "and we chose to align with that for the competition theme."
A polluted creek runs through the school's nearly 40 acres at 2505 Madison SE. The property is adjacent to the proposed Salvation Army Kroc Center and both developments will be used as a catalyst for revitalizing the neighborhood.
Criteria from the competition guidelines include:
- Engage student populations in sustainable design
- Improve operating conditions for Brookside Elementary
- Provide a catalyst partnership with the Kroc Salvation Army Community Center
- Spotlight sustainability efforts in the region
- Expand public awareness of LEED
- Showcase a LEED Platinum building
All designs will be shown to the architect of record for the Kroc development.
Designers have until April 14 to submit their plans. Finalists will present their plans at Greenbuild in Boston, MA. Winners will receive cash prizes and will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, at a gala event at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
Source: Sam Pobst, US Green Building Council-West Michigan Chapter
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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