Sustainable Design as Education Principles
Gibraltar Design has always incorporated energy efficiency and sustainable design into their practice. However, the growing emphasis on LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has broadened the interest among educators to incorporate these green principles into the learning environment. Gibraltar is helping schools and communities understand the environmental and economic impact of their design choices. The facilities become a teaching tool for educators and serve as examples of environmental stewardship. Gibraltar has embraced many LEED practices into its designs even if the projects are not going to be LEED certified. Irvin explained,
“We are specifying green products like recycled backing on carpets and Greenguard certified wall covering on every project, not just LEED projects. Manufacturers are responding to demands for greener products. In the school environment, we evaluate products based on sustainability, durability and value. An important part of sustainability is building to last.”