Adams-Bickel Builds ‘Green’ School

Radnor, Pa. — Adams-Bickel Associates, Inc. (ABA) today announced the official dedication of the $48 million environmentally friendly Radnor Middle School in Wayne, Pa. The school opened its doors to nearly 1,000 students on September 4 and is holding a dedication ceremony on October 13 at the school at 11:00 a.m.

To date, only 54 k-12 schools in the United States have achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Studies have shown that green schools use 30-50 percent less energy, 30 percent less water, reduce asthma by about 40 percent and have positive health impacts from the improved air quality.

“Green building is a completely voluntary option for the education industry,” explained Gus Perea, president of Adams-Bickel Associates. “By making the protection of our environment a core aspect in the construction of this new school, Radnor Township School District has set a great example for other schools, as well as businesses, in the Philadelphia region. This project has given us great satisfaction not only in building a state-of-the-art facility for the education of area children, but also in knowing that we are actively involved in building a school that provides a healthy environment for its teachers, administrators and students.”

“Adams-Bickel’s knowledge of green building principles has been evident in the various techniques and approaches used to make our school as ‘green’ as possible,” explained Mr. Leo J. Bernabei, director of operations at Radnor Township School District. “There is a significant amount of requirements that needs to be fulfilled in order for a building to be LEED-certified. Adams-Bickel has paid strict attention to the building materials and construction methods to ensure our school is ecologically and environmentally friendly.”

The Radnor Middle School is a four-story, 194,822 square foot building with numerous green building features, including a green vegetated roof, terrazzo floor with recycled glass, geothermal heating system and low VOC (volatile organic compound) materials providing improved indoor environmental air quality. Its asphalt roof with “cool membrane” light-colored roofing material provides increased light reflectivity and reduced heat in the building. And, the use of local and regional manufactured goods within a 500-mile radius has helped reduce transportation pollution during the construction process.

Recycling is also a key component to LEED certification. Adams-Bickel has ensured that the building materials consist of recycled content and that construction waste is recycled. The goal for the Radnor Middle School was to recycle 75 percent of all waste produced during the construction process. To date, there has been an 85 percent reduction of waste by weight
going to landfills.