Established in 2013, Sandy Grove Middle School is an innovative, one-of-a-kind learning environment. From the public-private partnership used to fund the construction to the environmentally friendly design, this school is a trendsetter. Notable innovative design and construction features at Sandy Grove Middle School include large photo-voltaic and geothermal heating and cooling systems, high efficiency LED lighting, spray foam air barrier, a whole building generator, and monitoring, display, and control of all building systems on and off-site through the Building Automation System. Because the entire electrical demand of the building is offset by the onsite renewable energy sources, Hoke County Schools can expect to save $16 million in energy costs over the next 40 years.
The sustainable features related to indoor environmental quality limit the toxins and pollutants in the air, provide additional control-ability for the conditioning of the space for added thermal comfort, and provide views from 90% of the building’s spaces. The tight construction and whole building air barrier limit air and water infiltration in the building, in turn preventing mold growth and removing water from the building envelope. Overall, SGMS is a healthy environment for the students and the community, and, as a net-positive school, and possibly the 24th LEED Platinum School ever built, this building should serve as a model for future North Carolina schools and all new facilities across the southeast.
Sandy Grove Middle School is now tracking LEED Platinum Certification using the LEED 2009 for Schools Model. LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a suite of rating systems, certified by a third party, the U.S Green Building Council, measuring sustainable building design integration for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. The rating system is used as a measurement tool to analyze and quantify sustainable design features related to site design, energy efficiency, water efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.
