Highland School and the Environment
Educating students for the 21st century includes instilling an appreciation of the responsibilities and actions individuals and institutions can take for the proper stewardship of natural resources. From providing hands-on examples of the technologies and practices that contribute to improved environmental performance, to demonstrating an institutional commitment to building “green,” Highland School intends to provide leadership through our program and our actions.

The LEED Certification Process
What is “Green Architecture,” or a “Green School”? A green school creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while conserving energy, reducing long-term operating costs, and taking steps to limit the impact the school has on the environment both during its construction and throughout its lifetime of operation.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a program developed by the United States Green Building Council. It is a nationally accepted third party review agency set up to monitor the progress in lessening the impact new buildings have on the environment and at the same time creating better places to work and live. LEED incorporates building practices that deliver positive results for the environment – conserving land, protecting wetlands and waterways, restoring habitats, reducing consumption and minimizing the impact of human activity within the ecosystem.

By increasing awareness of the effects of the building process on the environment, LEED encourages the development community to consider the upstream and downstream impacts of design and construction decisions. LEED invites project teams to consider the lifecycle of products and systems relative to the environment and to consider the implications associated with their production, transportation and use.

All new construction and major renovations of K-12 school facilities seeking LEED certification must use the LEED for Schools Rating System, which addresses issues such as classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention and environmental site assessment.

Our Commitment
In developing the construction plans for Highland’s next phase, the school has requested that all new facilities be designed in a manner that could result in LEED certification. During the detailed design process, each decision relating to LEED will be reviewed to ensure that the project actions are consistent with our desire to maximize the utility and effectiveness of our new facilities, while mitigating the adverse impact we have on the environment.