Today, as part of the Progressive Education Partnership, Perkins Eastman celebrated the third groundbreaking within the last week for a new public school in Prince Georges County, MD, when they celebrated the groundbreaking for Templeton Elementary School, located in Riverdale Park, MD. The Robert Frost Pre-K8 School in New Carrollton, one of the new schools, held a groundbreaking last Thursday, September 12^th, which was attended by County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Superintendent Millard House II. Ground was also broken at the Margaret Brent Elementary School in New Carrollton, MD, last Tuesday, September 10^th.

A recently passed resolution to provide funding for this public-private partnership known as a “P3” will support the construction of six new elementary schools and two K-8 schools. P3 involves developers financing the construction of the schools and Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) paying for the new schools over the next 30 years. “P3 is an innovative delivery method that will quickly and efficiently enhance the quality of learning environments for students and families, creating inspiring, sustainable, healthy, high-performance schools for these eight communities,” says Sean O’Donnell, FAIA, LEED AP, principal, and K12 practice area leader of Perkins Eastman.

The schools that had the recent groundbreakings are three of eight schools in Prince George’s County that will be replaced between 2026 and 2028. Hyattsville Elementary School, Fairwood Elementary School, and Brandywine K-8 are expected to be completed in 2027, and James Duckworth Elementary School and Springhill Lake Elementary School are due to open their doors in 2028. A groundbreaking will be held at Fairwood Elementary School on Friday, October 4^th.

These schools will focus on creating inviting, healthy, and safe environments that support PGCPS’s educational mission: Designing campuses that instill a civic presence, foster a sense of pride, and establish the school as the center of its surrounding community, and creating flexible, accessible, and comfortable environments conducive to effective teaching and learning.

Weaving sustainability, a core tenet of Perkins Eastman and a key criterion specified by the PGCPS, into the designs will also be critical. Each of the eight schools are being designed to be Net Zero Ready (NZR) with the goal of achieving Net Zero Energy (NZE) once photo-voltaic panels are added. The Net Zero strategy also features highly efficient geothermal heating and cooling systems.

High performance building envelopes will reduce energy consumption and help provide exceptional thermal comfort. Pervasive natural light and views and excellent acoustics will create an inviting learning ambiance and enhance students’ ability to learn. Healthy materials will improve indoor air quality. Rainwater management features, including storage tanks and bioretention planters, will reduce runoff from storms and improve water quality. Electric vehicle chargers will be provided to encourage more sustainable transportation for teachers and other staff. By committing to sustainable materials management and procurement, an estimated minimum of 75 percent of construction waste will be diverted from landfills. The schools will pursue LEED v4 BD+C: Schools certification. “These sustainable, healthy, high-performance learning environments will provide thousands of students, and their families with the resources to thrive, empowering them and their communities to achieve PGCPS’ vision of a more inclusive and just world,” O’Donnell says. “The rapid, expansive and positive impact of this innovative program should become a model to inspire and energize school districts and communities across the country to create great places for children to learn.”

ABOUT PERKINS EASTMAN

Perkins Eastman is a global design firm founded on the belief that design can have a direct and positive impact on people’s lives. The firm’s award-winning practice draws on its 1,000 professionals networked across 23 studios worldwide. By keeping the user’s needs foremost in the design process, the firm enhances the human experience across the spectrum of the built environment. For more information, visit www.perkinseastman.com.

Feature Image Courtesy of: Perkins Eastman