New Seattle Elementary School Built to Achieve Education Sustainability

Envisioning a modern school design

Seattle, Washington voters recently decided to replace their aging Brighton Elementary School with a new $16 million facility. Designed as a new space for 535 children and a new community space where area residents could gather for adult education programs and meetings, the building needed to meet the latest seismic resistance standard as well as space standards for educational classroom and gymnasium use.

Keeping public school construction cost effective

Ensuring the building would be cost-effective to build and maintain was a primary consideration for the Seattle Public School system. The facility was smartly designed to be an example of education sustainability so that unused areas could be shut down and controlled for maximum energy efficiency.

Cost-effectiveness was also one of the reasons why the construction team was required to select an attractive and money-saving alternative to stone. Another important test for the school was whether it could withstand the harmful effects of Seattle’s wet weather, which meant the materials needed to handle long-lasting resistance to water penetration.

Ensuring maximum building durability

DRY-BLOCK® integral water repellant block admixture from GCP Applied Technologies was specified to keep the block protected and help maintain its durability and appearance over time. DRY-BLOCK® block admixture is mixed throughout the concrete during the manufacturing process, and combined with DRY-BLOCK® mortar admixture, provides long-lasting resistance to water penetration—even with Seattle’s frequent wet, rainy weather. It’s the key for building with education sustainability in mind.

“We look to provide the best quality building materials,” added Tobias Thiersch, architectural sales representative at Eastside Masonry. “DRY-BLOCK® has a track record of success, and by keeping water out of masonry, it reduces long-term maintenance issues.”

The building’s multi-functional utility and quality construction has already earned the approval of teachers, the school’s principal, and the head of the school district. But the real beauty of the building is expected to reveal itself over time in education sustainability—as a lasting, cost-effective, and low-maintenance structure.