A West Baltimore charter school has achieved a distinct environmental certification for its energy-efficient building.
Green Street Academy, a public charter school, received a LEED Plantinum certification -- the highest ranking achievable under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) -- under the Schools v3 rating system from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The 111,000-sq.-ft.-facility school is the only one in Maryland to be certified Platinum under the LEED for Schools v3 rating system, according to a release from the school.
The school achieved the certification by demonstrating strides in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
Among the schools' environmentally friendly features are reflective roofs that reduce so-called "island effect" heat and preferred parking for fuel efficient vehicles and carpools. The school was built using more than 40 percent recycled materials and uses water-efficient landscaping, among other water and energy reduction features.
The school has a master plan to add additions, such as habitat conservation meadows, a global outdoor classroom, and an interactive an interactive aquaponics center in the future.
"Green Street Academy receiving the highest possible designation for sustainable construction in the renovation of a Baltimore landmark is yet another example of the school putting its mission of creating a more sustainable, future-focused way of educating students into action," Dan Schochor, Green Street Academy's executive director, said in a statement.