Green Street Academy (GSA) is an innovative, public charter middle and high school inspiring scholars with sustainability and preparing them for college and career through project based learning. This redevelopment project transformed the former Gwynns Falls Park High School from near abandonment to a community anchor, and it is now a state-of-the-art, sustainable building shaping a generation of citizens prepared to create a greener and more sustainable world.
The school achieved a LEED Platinum certification under the Schools v3 rating system. This is the highest rating achievable and ranks GSA in the top 4 percent of all schools. At the time in May 2016, it was the second largest K-12 project in the world, and the only one in Baltimore and Maryland, to be certified Platinum under the LEED for Schools v3 rating system.
Sustainability and Resiliency strategies integrated into the process and project, include:
- Connections to community and neighborhoods
- Shares building and site with the Kingdom Life Church
- Allows school to grow in future with master plan
- Supports public transportation, bikes and pedestrians
- Reduces total amount of parking and shares with the church
- Preferred parking for fuel efficient vehicles and carpools
- Maximizes open space & outdoor learning areas
- Reduces “heat island effect” with reflective roofs
Water
- Uses water efficient landscaping
- 30 percent modeled water use reduction
- Reduces kitchen process water use
Energy
- 38 percent modeled energy reduction
- Enhanced commissioning system verification
- 7.5 percent on-site renewable energy with photovoltaic parking canopies
Materials
- Reuses 100 percent of existing building’s walls, floors, roofs
- Reuses 66 percent of existing interior non-structural elements
- 84 percent of construction waste diverted from landfills
- 41 percent recycled materials installed
- 20 percent regional materials installed
Indoor Environment
- Indoor air quality during construction and occupancy
- Provides acoustical performance for all learning areas
- Installs low emitting (no-to-low VOC) materials
- Group and individual control – thermal comfort and lighting
- Provides daylight and views to exterior
