High School Harvests 280,000 Gallons of Rainwater Each Year
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 07.18.08
Green High School
The Langston Brown Community Center and High School in Arlington, Virginia, has a LEED Silver rating and has quite a few interesting green features. The enormous water tanks used to store rainwater certainly are the most visible (though the one on the front of the building is hidden by panels that make it blend in the overall design).
The two 11,000-gallon tanks store about 280,000 gallons of rainwater per year, and that water is used for "onsite irrigation, sidewalk washing, and other uses." We wish they would consider using it for toilets too, though they already have waterless urinals that contribute to the project's 23% reduction in potable water use.
Other Green Features
The indoor environment features adhesives, solvents, paints, and carpets with low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Each classroom provides at least four switches to control lighting levels. Sunshades provide indirect daylighting while maintaining views in more than 90% of the building's occupied spaces. Additional daylighting in every third-floor classroom comes from clerestory windows. A stained concrete floor system was used in lieu of vinyl composition tile.
Green Education
Ontario School Gives Students a Lesson in Clean Energy
University of Pennsylvania Becomes #1 Among U.S. Universities for Wind-Power Usage
More on Langston Brown High School
US Green Building Council
High School Captures 280,000 Gallons Of Water Per Year
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This highshcool is so dreamy- when i went to highschool is was so toxic it was ridiculous - everything was being renovated, the whole school smelled of roofing tar for two years, paints, strong chemical cleaners...it's no wonder I felt like I couldn't breathe. Teachers would never let you open a window for fresh air.
This is all great and good, but isn't it too much for 197 people? How much this building cost? Could any school district afford it?
My two sons went to 100 years old high school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio which had 2000 students. It was hut and really hard to breath there. But it does not look like they are going to build new one. Opposite. They are closing some elementary schools and increasing class size in remaining schools to save money. My third son was lucky to receive full scholarship in private school. That school had day light windows in the sealing and many other nice green fetchers and they had small class sizes but even there they had 800 students, not 197.
Cost and affordability should be taken in consideration, otherwise thows schools will remain “Green dream” forever
What other schools/people want to know: how much did the system cost, what is the return, and how long would it pay for itself?
I wish when articles like this are written, that more detailed information was either provided, or linked to - to make it easier for others to determine whether this is feasible for them - and to forward the technology.
Considering how long that building will probably be around, a couple of big tanks probably isn't that expensive.
Especially if over there they actually charge you for water instead of having flat rates that encourage waste.
The two 11,000-gallon tanks store about 280,000 gallons of rainwater per year
I guess the author meant that 280,000 gallons of water pass through the two 11,000-gallon tanks in a typical year. Pretty cool!
Otherwise, the water would have to be stored at something approaching on the order of 13 times its normal density, which would be quite a trick. Liquids are hard to compress, and turning water into a gas (steam) for storage would probably be counterproductive...
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MGR: Good catch. Yes, that's what I meant, obviously :)
Flushless urinals should be the only kind allowed by law.
Wow. That IS a green dream school. Pretty nice looking too. Actually, checking out the link, it's NOT really a high school in the typical sense. It's some sort of mixed-use alternative high school/community-center and some special programs. But it's still sweet.
My high school was built around the 70's, and the district is renovating it with a facelift, that is sadly not eco-friendly. They took down a bunch of nicely tall grown trees, and they're adding more building (building out, not up), and increasing the parking lot space to accommodate the growing enrollment. Also, sadly, it's going to have this really ugly modern look. It's really spartan, and they might as well destroy the building and start fresh. All the other high schools around CFISD are brand-spanking new and much better looking. There's not many "green" public schools around Houston as far as I can tell.
I am an Arlington County resident and am proud that Arlington is pushing LEED certification for both county buildings and businesses. The Langston-Brown Center was the first LEED certified building in Virginia, but there are now 6 others in Arlington alone. The county is pursuing LEED certification for the rebuilt Washington-Lee High School, a much larger facility than the Langston-Brown building. For more information on Langston-Brown, go can go to this case study in the Association of Interior Designers.
http://www.asid.org/NR/rdonlyres/FA0EEACD-530E-400B-A7B5-6A6BC4AA12F7/0/DesigningGreen.pdf