LEONARDTOWN, Md. - Officials from the St. Mary's County Public Schools announced today that they will showcase the design of their new elementary school at the Sustainable Building Today for a Greener St. Mary's County Tomorrow forum. The forum is scheduled for Saturday, February 24, 2007, 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center. The forum is being co-sponsored by the St. Mary's County Commission on the Environment and St. Mary's County Public Schools.
Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of schools, and the design team for the new elementary school project, will present the project highlighting the green school design and the significance of the LEED certified building. According to the U.S. Green Building Council: "The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality." The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a national coalition of leaders from every sector of the building industry working to "promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work."
During the forum, Dr. Martirano will speak of a school building that is truly a hands-on learning tool for students and a building that will serve as an ambassador to the environment for the students and community of St. Mary's County.
Other participants in the forum will be St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM), Southern Maryland Electric Co-op (SMECO), and the St. Mary's County Metropolitan Commission (METCOM).