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| 27 Mar 2023 | |
| Written by Debbie Koehler | |
| Climate Action and Leadership |
Perth Amboy, NJ, March 27, 2023 – DIGroup Architecture (DIG) has earned LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)for its Rose M. Lopez Elementary School project in Perth Amboy, N.J. Swarupa Samant, principal, managed the project for the Perth Amboy School District and the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA), 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.
Opened in the fall of 2019, the Rose M. Lopez Elementary School is the second stand-alone dual language school in the Perth Amboy School District. The $56.4M project stands three stories high and includes 128,000 square feet of space. In addition to classrooms and instruction rooms, the school includes music rooms, a computer lab, gymnasium, media center, cafeteria, multipurpose room and outdoor play and learning areas. The school serves more than 800 students, in kindergarten through second grade.
The DIG team worked shoulder-to-shoulder with EPIC Management, Inc., which served as the design-build contractor. The project was managed by GREYHAWK North America, LLC.
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About DIGroup Architecture
Formed in 2006 and headquartered in New Brunswick, N.J., with offices in Philadelphia, DIGroup Architecture is an award-winning architecture, design and environmental graphics firm serving clients and communities in education, civic spaces, healthcare and senior living. DIGroup Architecture is a certified Minority-Owned, Disadvantaged and Small Business Enterprise (MBE/DBE/SBE), driven to create “Architecture for Change.”
About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a healthy, resilient and equitable future for all through the development of green buildings, cities and communities. For more than 20 years, USGBC has been advancing green building practices through the development of LEED, the world's most widely used green building program. With the support of thousands of members, volunteers and partners, USGBC provides robust green building education courses, a rigorous professional credentialing program, and advocates for effective public policies. It convenes an international network of green building and sustainability leaders through the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, and forward thinking programs, including the Center for Green Schools.
