The community of Whitmore Lake, Michigan, made a bold move in July 2003—it made a commitment to “go green.” At the time, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) initiatives were far from common, with less than 1,000 registered projects and only 60 projects officially certified with the U.S. Green Building Council.

With a new high school already in the works, Whitmore Lake Public Schools decided early in that planning process to set itself apart from neighboring school districts in a meaningful way. The district formed a Philosophy and Planning Committee that included district staff, community members, its architect/ engineering team (TMP Associates, Inc.), in association with Mitchell Mouat Architects, and its construction manager (Barton Malow Company). The school district committee toured two nearby buildings—a high school and a convent—to learn more about the green design initiatives that had been implemented at the two facilities. The group then made a commitment to their community to create a sustainable comprehensive high school that would open to students in 2006—LEED certification was the goal.

From the start, the committee knew how important it was to work together in developing the green strategies that would become the foundation of the new school. What’s more, the LEED initiative gave the committee a system for quantifying its efforts as well as means for public accountability. The commitment to LEED certification helped members of the committee stay on task and meet established goals.

By September 2003, the new Whitmore Lake High School was officially registered with the U.S. Green Building Council. The steps taken and strategies implemented along the way may be of value to other school districts, colleges, and universities that are considering the implementation of LEED initiatives with their facilities.

Collaborative planning
Many of the project goals were relatively simple to institute. These included high standards for indoor air quality, the reduction of construction waste, overall energy efficiency, and site considerations. Many of these priorities were easily implemented through careful specifications and collaborative planning among the members of the committee. However, other elements required considerably more effort.

For example, a historic farmhouse on the site needed to be relocated. All involved felt that the house was an important element of community history that needed to be preserved. The team worked diligently to find a new location, and the farmhouse was successfully moved less than a mile from its original site.

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The media center at Whitmore Lake High School includes green interior design elements, such as low volatile organic compound (VOC) finishes and casework.

Creative thinking
The architect/engineering team presented ways that the high school’s green elements could directly enhance the student’s learning experience. It was a committee priority to link the building and the school’s curriculum, so designers created an outdoor teaching area. A large pond built on the site serves several purposes—as a stormwater detention basin, a component of the ground source geothermal system, a reservoir for the school’s fire protection system, and a habitat for study. A peninsula was formed on the pond, creating an “outdoor classroom.”

Custom signage on the peninsula as well as elsewhere on the site and throughout the building identify special sustainable features.

Cold-weather challenge
The biggest hurdle for the team was implementing the ground source geothermal system. Early in the process, a geothermal system was identified as the best energy-saving strategy for the Michigan climate. Such systems, also known as ground-source heat pumps, take advantage of the Earth’s ability to store heat in the soil. This heat can then be used to warm the building. But because of the tight budget at the time of bidding, the geo-thermal system was bid as an alternate item. In the end, the committee made adjustments in the building to allow for inclusion of the geothermal system.

In February 2007, Whitmore Lake High School submitted its application for LEED certification. A true team effort that began at the very start of the project, including a commitment from the community, makes the submittal a strong one.

Eric Sassak is a senior associate with TMP Associates, Inc. The firm has offices in Bloomfield Hills and Portage, Mich., and Columbus, Ohio. Reach him at esassak@tmp-architecture.com.