Ottawa, Ohio, July 03, 2013 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, is proud to announce their involvement in the successful LEED® Gold certification of two elementary schools in the Ottawa-Glandorf School District. SSOE originally worked with the district on a long-term strategic master plan for the entire Ottawa-Glandorf School District. They later performed the programming, architecture, and engineering services for both Ottawa and Glandorf elementary schools which achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ) Gold certifications established by the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council). As the first schools programmed in a K-8 configuration in Ohio’s Classroom Facilities Assistance Program, each school was designed to maintain the individual identities of their respective communities.
Both schools feature state-of-the-art technology throughout, system and material selections that are durable and easy to maintain, and geothermal mechanical systems providing long-term, low operational costs. In addition, they were able to reduce potable water usage in the school by over 30% by avoiding the need for a permanent irrigation system. Both schools utilized concrete for most paved surfaces instead of asphalt, which decreased heat island affect and the use of finite petroleum-based products.
SSOE’s portfolio of LEED certified projects represents more than $1 billion of investment. As such, they are no stranger when it comes to firsts in LEED certification. In addition to their involvement with this project, SSOE is also responsible for the first LEED Platinum automotive manufacturing plant in the world, the first Gold LEED certified central utility plant in the U.S, as well as the first Gold LEED certified facility in the state of Ohio. Currently, SSOE has more than a dozen projects underway at various stages of the LEED certification process around the world.
