The Darlington Community cheered today as Middle School Director James Hutchins and eighth-grader Ethan Pender unveiled a plaque recognizing Thatcher Hall’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED is the premier program in the nation to certify high-performance green buildings.
“In April 2010, Thatcher Hall was the first LEED Gold School to be certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Schools 2.0 system in the State of Georgia,” said Joe Montgomery, chief advancement officer. “This is a milestone for Darlington and a first step in our commitment to environmental sustainability.”
LEED certification is awarded based on energy consumption, water management, indoor environmental quality, site planning and material use.
“This is a historic day for Darlington and the City of Rome,” said architect Mike Mascheri of Chapman Coyle Chapman. “Darlington’s Gold Certification is a testament to the school’s commitment to creating a green campus environment and an educational model for its students. By integrating sustainable features in the building, faculty and students are able to see how our energy and natural resources can be conserved during everyday life. This facility also exemplifies that a LEED Gold building can blend seamlessly within a traditional-style campus environment, while maintaining the technologies, building materials and design elements necessary for the efficiency and environmental standards required for this certification level.”
Thatcher Hall’s mechanical system exceeds the local energy code efficiency requirements by 40 percent. All spaces are day lit to minimize the need for artificial lighting, thus reducing energy consumption. Along the same lines, motion sensors are utilized in many rooms and photocells control lighting in the classrooms, automatically turning off lights when the daylight reaches a level equal to that of the light fixture.
Additionally, to conserve water all plumbing fixtures and kitchen equipment are low-flow and many are also motion controlled. To preserve a healthy air quality, interior finishes and materials are low-VOC products to minimize off-gassing, and environmentally friendly cleansers are used by Darlington’s housekeeping staff. Probably most remarkable, 90 percent of all construction waste was recycled.
“Throughout this entire process, Thatcher Hall and its grounds have served as an important teaching tool in our classrooms,” said Angela Pieroni, dean of grades 7-8. “Our questions have changed from ‘Why should we build a green building?’ to ‘How?’ ‘Why not?’ ‘Where else?’”
Recognized along with Mascheri were partners Tricia Newton of J.E. Dunn Construction Co. (formerly R.J. Griffin & Co.), Gary Paetau of Carter USA, and Ed Watters (’83), chairman of the Facilities Committee of the Board of Trustees. Hillary Tarabour and Jesse Ross of CxGBS were also in attendance.
Representing the South Rome Redevelopment Agency and Corp., Paul Ferguson commended Darlington for its leadership. “Darlington has continued to be a steady and valued partner in the redevelopment of South Rome and I want to congratulate the school on their LEED Gold Certification,” he said.
Hutchins thanked all those involved in the project, including the Board of Trustees, the donors, the advancement staff, the architect and builders, the facilities team, the faculty and – last but not least – the students.
“I want to thank our students who, over the last three years, have really taken ownership of this facility. This is your building,” Hutchins said to the student body during the ceremony. “Thatcher Hall is remarkable but it’s what goes on inside that is truly special. We don’t just learn in this building – we learn from it.”
Thatcher Hall is a 57,000-square-foot facility that features 18 classrooms, a wireless media center, a student commons, band and choral rooms, and a spacious assembly hall for gathering and dining.
