press release

VMDO's Steve Davis Presents to Congressional Green Schools Caucus

February 3, 2010

VMDO's Director of Sustainable Design, Steve Davis, was recently invited to speak to the Congressional Green Schools Caucus. Steve gave a brief overview of green building and green schools, after which he presented a case study of VMDO's Manassas Park Elementary School--currently pursuing a LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features of Manassas Park Elementary School include a ground source heating and cooling system, auto-dimming light fixtures, and a rainwater harvesting system. VMDO expects the school to use 50% less electricity than a comparable code-compliant building, while saving the school system 1.3 million gallons of water each year.

The school is nestled between two forested tracts in northern Virginia and designed to teach students about the forest ecosystem that surrounds them.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) organized the event, which convened in the Rayburn House Office Building on January 19th. The Caucus event featured two other speakers. Judy Marks, Associate Director for the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, discussed success stories resulting from recent federal incentives. Doug Gatlin, Vice-President for Market Development at the USGBC discussed the USGBC's new guide, The Paid-from-Savings Guide to Green Existing Buildings.

The Caucus strives to raise awareness of green schools, lead national policy debate, and define legislative opportunities for its members. For more information on the Congressional Green Schools Caucus, click here.

VMDO Architects was founded in 1976 and is the youngest firm to receive the T. David Fitz-Gibbon Virginia Architecture Award, the most prestigious honor given by the Virginia Society of American Institute of Architects.

For further information, interview, and photography opportunities in reference to this project and VMDO Architects, please contact William Bishop at 434.296.5684, email at bishop@vmdo.com.