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Tri Star Career Compact Earns LEED Silver Certification

By Zachary Sprunger

The new Tri Star Career Compact building has received LEED® for Schools Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Administered by the USGBC, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green schools.

The building was co-funded by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission and designed by Fanning Howey, an architecture, interiors and engineering firm with an office in Celina, Ohio. Tri Star is the 349th school in Ohio to be LEED certified. Fanning Howey has designed 68 of those projects. The state of Ohio leads the world with a total of 350 LEED certified schools, and Fanning Howey is fourth globally in the design of LEED certified schools, according to the USGBC.

“Sustainable design is a key part of creating a smarter place for learning,” says Steve Wilczynski, AIA, Fanning Howey’s executive director for Ohio. “The LEED certification process helped us to improve the quality of storm water leaving the site. We were also able to design an energy efficient building that will reduce operating costs for many years.”

“Tri Star’s goal has always been to be a good neighbor,” says Tri Star director Tim Buschur. “Through sustainable design strategies, we are able to reduce our impact on Grand Lake St. Marys and be an efficient steward of tax dollars.”

Fanning Howey is currently working with Tri Star Career Compact to monitor energy costs in the new building and to optimize systems for maximum efficiency. This process is part of Fanning Howey’s Verification & Continuous Commissioning program, which helps educational communities drive down energy costs.

About Fanning Howey
Fanning Howey is an integrated architecture, interiors and engineering firm specializing in learning environments. We use the power of design to create smarter, happier learners, more successful educators and stronger communities. For more information, visit www.fhai.com.

About Tri Star Career Compact
Tri Star Career Compact is a Career Technical school serving nine schools in Mercer and Auglaize counties. Tri Star’s goal is to help students develop skills that will be valuable throughout their life. More than 60 percent of Tri Star students continue on to post-secondary education and training. For more information, visit www.tristarcareercompact.com.