On September 4, the sounds of hammers and drills on our Rio Road campus will be replaced by the sounds we love the most – children living, laughing and learning.

Little Green is here!

Tucked neatly and naturally into the landscape and featuring a host of cutting edge “greenovations,” Little Green represents an important milestone on our journey to become the premier green school in America. The next phase of our building process will be the LEED certified platinum classroom building that will be the main campus for the school.

“We are thrilled to move into this extraordinary new space,” said Sarah Tremaine, chair of the Charlottesville Waldorf Foundation. “The site and the building itself have exceeded our highest expectations and will provide our teachers and students with an extraordinary learning environment that captures the very essence of the Waldorf philosophy.”

The project was designed to earn basic LEED certification. However, according to Artisan Construction, Inc. President Doug Lowe, it is likely to earn an even higher designation. “We are particularly excited about the fact that we have exceeded original expectations and created an even greener building without spending a single dollar beyond what we had originally budgeted. It is a great example of the fact that building green does not have to mean spending more money.”

 We could never have made this project happen without the generous support of so many of our partners. Leading the way was the Artisan team, who provided design, drafting, and construction services below normal markups. We thank them and all those who shared their commitment to this project through important donations, including:

• The Contractor Yard – discount on all framing materials, general building materials

• Gardco Lighting – provided at cost all exterior street and safety lighting

• Creative Conservation/Icynene Insulation – free upgraded insulation in walls

• Pella Windows – provided at cost

• R.E. Boggs – provided interior split ductless HVAC units at cost

• Titebond Adhesives – provided low VOC drywall adhesive and low VOC sub-floor adhesive at no cost

Green highlights of the building include:

• Minimal site disturbance – the building sits on an existing bank, allowing for entrances on both the first and second floors.

• Two-by-six wood frame construction with cellular foam insulation on the exterior and recycled newspaper insulation for soundproofing between classroom walls.

• All paints used are no VOC or low VOC, and the roof is high reflectivity to minimize the “heat island effect”

• Sustainably (and locally) harvested hardwood flooring throughout from the local company Appalachian Sustainable Development.

• High efficiency heat pumps for each individual room

• Separate air circulation system utilizing fresh, outdoor air.

• Low-flow toilets with dual flush option

• Environmentally friendly cleaning and maintenance program

Kevin O’Brien, Project Manager, points out one way in which the building goes beyond what LEED requires. “LEED asks that you put motion sensors on your lights so you come in a room and they turn on and you leave and they turn off. But since we are trying to build a habit and educate students about energy saving habits, we have decided to use a timer. This means teachers will be educating students by reminding them to turn off lights when they leave a room. The timer serves as a backup system but we felt that it fits with our overall objectives for the building and the school for us to build stewardship habits.”

The school will feature dedicated parking spaces, close to the building, for anyone who is carpooling. There will also be a dedicated space for any car that is either a hybrid or biodiesel.

“We invite the entire community to visit us and see what can happen when people come together to make a difference for our children and for our environment,” Tremaine said.

After more than a quarter century of growth, Charlottesville Waldorf School has now entered an exciting new chapter with its move to a permanent home in the heart of Charlottesville. The move, and the continued growth, are the result of the efforts and support of a tremendous group of parents, children, staff and supporters.

Our new school is more than just a building that will serve our personal needs; it embodies the deepest values of Rudolf Steiner by reflecting the needs of our time and place – social, financial, and environmental responsibility. At the same time, the efforts toward building green and creating the first LEED Platinum school in America are designed to set a new national standard for school construction and environmental responsibility.