How Green is Natick High School?

Did you know that the new state-of-the art Natick High School is LEED Gold Certified?

The school achieved this distinction by being environmentally in six different categories, according to Natick High science teacher Susan Haverstick's website.

The six different areas that NHS has green measures that enabled them to become LEED Certified, as well as some of the reasons the high school meet the criteria, are:

• Site Selection: Natick High is not located on a habitat for an endangered species or on prime agricultural land; the project protects the soil from running off with its storm water management; and the outdoor lighting is designed so reduces development impact on nocturnal environments.
• Water: The project limits excess water use for landscape. There is a gray-water system. A gray-water system collects rainwater off the roof that will be used to flush water closets and urinals in the academic wing. This saves approximately 4,500 gallons each day.
• Energy: The high school exceeds the ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999 energy performance requirements by 15 percent. There are solar panels on the high school. An Energy Management System measures and controls the energy being used at the school.
• Materials: When the high school was being built, 50 percent of all construction waste was recycled. Part of the old asphalt parking lot was recycled.
• Indoor Environmental Quality: There is daylight in the school- lots of it. 90 percent of classrooms, administration areas and regularly occupied spaces have a direct line of sight to vision glazing. There is excellent air quality that complies with ASHRAE 1999 for all minumum standards. Walk-off mats will provide a pollutant source control. There is a Construction Indoor Air Quality program that addresses dust protection, preconditioning, sequencing, and HEPA vacuuming and duct cleaning.
• Thermal Comfort: There is a "Smart Building" system that controls lighting and heating in each classroom. HVAC system automatically detects number of people in a room and adjusts the heating, cooling and ventilation settings automatically based on that information.

Lastly, did you know that Natick High has five electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot? Patch has verified that at least one staff member drives an electric car and charges his car during the day while at work.

Do any students charge an electric car at school during the day? Tell us in the comments.