Buildings house first modular classrooms to be registered for Platinum designation by LEED(R) for Schools program; construction made possible with help from Lowe's grant TAMPA, Fla., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- A school in Lutz, Fla., today officially opened the nation's first modular classrooms to be registered for Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED(R)) for Schools program. With the opening of nine new environmentally friendly, modular classrooms, Learning Gate Community School, a place where students learn how to incorporate green living into their daily lives, now sets a new standard in education and environmental responsibility. A Platinum LEED(R) rating is the highest designation given by the USGBC for sustainable building practices. The LEED(R) for Schools program is even more stringent, according to contractors working on the project. "Virtually every aspect of the buildings is recycled, renewable or organic," said Principal Patti Girard, founder of the environmentally focused charter school. "We used recycled steel frames, lumber approved by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and even soy foam insulation to build the classrooms. We'll even generate a portion of our own electricity by using solar-paneled awnings."
