Roy Lee Walker Sustainable Elementary School in McKinney
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada 
on 08.15.05
It seems like there's something quite cool going on in the city of McKinney, Texas. First there was the prototype of an eco-Walmart, then the eco-dealership by Toyota, and now - thanks to reader littleCatalyst for pointing it out - we learn that the city also has a sustainable elementary school that has been named (pdf link) one of the ten Most Environmentally Responsible Design Projects in the Nation by the American Institute of Architects. They have some great green architecture and landscaping, harvest rainwater in 6 cisterns (10,000 gallons capacity) and produce electricity with a wind turbine, but most importantly, they teach the kids about sustainability (it warms my heart!). Read more about it here. Any of our readers from McKinney? What's happening over there? Whatever it is, can you export it?
::Roy Lee Walker's psychedelic website, ::Great Article about the School ::SHW Architects Group, ::American Institute of Architects (pdf)
Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Zero Waste—The Newest Eco-Fashion Innovation?
- Surf Green with Eco-Friendly Surf Gear
- Green Your Bikini Waxing Routine with Soy, Pine Sap and Organic Bikini Wax
- Is School Food Harming Kids? Enlist a Labor Day Eat-In To Promote Fresh, Healthy Food
- CDs + A Wine Bottle = Ultra Cool Candle Holder
- Runners: Choose a Marathon that Matches Your Eco-Values
I'm an architect in Dallas and most of the cities north of the metroplex are requiring every commercial project over 20,000 s.f. to have a LEED checklist completed for city review. Some cities are even requiring all commercial projects to become LEED certified. Very exciting stuff.
I work in McKinney. It is definitely just your run of the mill suburb. Perhaps people feel guilty here because it is almost 30 miles from Dallas. I do also see a Prius with the McKinney city logo around town.