LEED Certified

Pendergast Elementary School was the First LEED Certified School in the City of Phoenix

Pendergast Elementary School was designed to be a state-of-the-art replacement for the existing school and is 35% more efficient than a comparable-sized K-8 school built in Phoenix meeting only minimum energy codes. Architects designed Pendergast to be a demonstration facility on responsible resources and energy and incorporates numerous sustainable design features. The school utilizes solar photovoltaic panels to generate roughly 15% of its electricity needs, which was one of the largest solar arrays in the City of Phoenix. The school also purchased "green energy" generated from wind, solar, etc., to offset an additional 35% of its electricity needs, making it the only facility in the City of Phoenix to offset 50% of its energy generation with a combination of on-site, as well as, purchased renewable energy. Pendergast Elementary School features healthy indoor environments without a high concentration of toxic substances found in most other buildings. All paints and sealants in buildings have very low to no volatile organic compounds, which are suspected carcinogens. All these features foster the health and welfare of the occupants and contribute to effective learning. The school is not just a demonstration of sustainable design and environmental stewardship, but is also a showcase project for the economics of sustainability.