Rose M. Lopez Elementary School in Perth Amboy — Courtesy: DIGroup Architecture
By Joshua Burd
A Perth Amboy elementary school designed by DIGroup Architecture has earned certification on the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design scale.
According to the New Brunswick-based firm, the Rose M. Lopez Elementary School attained a silver designation on the rating scale. Swarupa Samant, a DIG principal, managed the project for the Perth Amboy school district and the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, with a focus on energy-saving and green-building practices.
“The New Jersey SDA was committed to delivering a school that not only provided students access to state-of-the-art classrooms and resources, but was also energy-efficient and sustainable,” said Samant, who noted DIG has earned LEED certification of varying levels for a total of seven projects to date. “We set a goal of achieving LEED Silver certification when we began the design-build process, so to realize this designation is incredibly gratifying.”
To achieve LEED Silver certification, a facility must implement measurable solutions in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, smart materials selection and indoor environmental quality with the end goal of sustainability and a healthier, more comfortable space in which to live, work and learn, according to DIG. Opened in fall 2019, the Perth Amboy facility is the second standalone dual language school in the district, resulting from a $56.4 million project that rises three stories high and spans 128,000 square feet.
In addition to classrooms and instruction rooms, the school includes music rooms, a computer lab, a gymnasium, a media center, a cafeteria, a multipurpose room and outdoor play and learning areas, the news release said. The school serves more than 800 students, in kindergarten through second grade.
The DIG team worked in tandem with EPIC Management Inc., which served as the design-build contractor. GREYHAWK North America LLC managed the project.
