High Point University - School of Education

School of Education

High Point University held a grand opening for the new LEED-Certified School of Education with a ceremony, tours of the state-of-the-art facility and demonstrations in the classrooms. The 31,000-square-foot School of Education houses the education and psychology departments in technologically advanced classrooms, computer labs and offices. It features high-tech educational equipment, such as smart boards, a children's book library, math and science touch screen games, a methods lab designed to look and feel like a real elementary school classroom, a Mac lab and psychology research booths. The building is also setting an example for modern-day energy conservation with things like floor to ceiling windows for natural lighting and light sensors in the rooms. LEED certification is a rating system for "green" buildings developed by the Green Building Environmental Council of the United States (USGBC) and provides certain environmental standards for construction. Water usage is cut by 30 percent inside the building and by 50 percent in its irrigation system, while energy usage is decreased by 24 percent. Further information regarding LEED certification may be found at the following sites: U. S. Green Building Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, Green Building Certification Institute.