The 63,000-square-foot, two-story building is expected to achieve high awards from both certifying organizations ? Bethke has been designated as the country?s first school to earn ?3 Green Globes?? with the Green Building Initiative. It is targeting certification at the Gold level under the USGBC?s new LEED for Schools classification.

?This building showcases our commitment to educate current and future generations about the importance of being responsible stewards of our environment,? said Ann Alfonso, Bethke Elementary School?s new principal. ?We hope other school districts, as well as other building owners, will follow our lead when investigating future construction projects as we believe green building is just better building.?

Incorporating sustainability into their schools is not a new concept for Poudre School District. Fossil Ridge High School, completed in 2004 and also designed by RB+B Architects, Inc., was the first school in Colorado to achieve LEED-Silver Certification. Bill Franzen, Executive Director of Operations for PSD mentions, ?The decision in 1999 to build sustainable high performance schools, or green schools, was a commitment to meet the community?s educational needs and to go further in actively addressing environmental, social and financial responsibilities.?

Some of the Bethke?s sustainable features include natural daylighting, a high-efficiency building envelope (super-insulated walls and roof), state-of-the-art high-efficiency mechanical and electrical systems, operable windows for controlled occupant comfort as well as the use of renewable energy resources. Indoor air quality, lighting control and acoustic considerations were all managed through the building?s design. Except for the gymnasium, the school is fully air conditioned through the very energy-efficient use of indirect evaporative cooling.

Bethke?s design stems from a prototype designed by RB+B Architects and first implemented in the School District in 2002 at Zach Elementary. As Project Architect, Corky Bradley, AIA, LEED AP managed the project from start to finish, along with John Little, Project Manager for Poudre School District. ?We just keep fine-tuning this prototype, making it perform better and better,? Bradley says. ?Not only have we proven over and over that being ?green? does not have to cost more, we?ve been able to provide a phenomenal learning environment for the students.?

The school is designed for flexibility to support and encourage a variety of educational opportunities for the students. The building?s ?passive? sides facilitate quiet, distraction-free spaces for learning, while providing separation from ?active? areas like the gym and cafeteria. Furthermore, many of the building?s components are exposed so that the students and visitors can actually see how they operate ? part of the designer?s philosophy to design Buildings that Teach. ?The design team was committed to furthering education, both in the classroom and about the classroom in an engaging facility. From the bright red water pipe assembly at the front door to windows allowing views of the mechanical systems, the students no longer simply pass through the school but they are affected by it,? comments Franzen. Construction for the new Elementary School was completed by Dohn Construction.

Bethke Elementary will hold a dedication ceremony at the school on September 13th, at 11:30 a.m. Tours of the building will follow until 3 p.m. Bethke Elementary is located at 5100 School House Drive in Timnath.

RB+B Architects, Inc. has designed exceptional environments throughout Colorado for more than 50 years with a commitment to client-focused quality design and an emphasis on client service. The firm has designed other sustainable projects such as Fossil Ridge High School (LEED-NC, Silver), Seven Generations Office Park (LEED-CS, Platinum) and is currently in the design phase for Casey Middle School in Boulder, slated to achieve LEED for Schools certification at the Gold level. RB+B Architects? office is located at 315 East Mountain Avenue, Suite 100 in Old Town Fort Collins and on the web at www.rbbarchitects.com.