Staley High School, the first LEED certified high school, is opening this month for the 2008-2009 school year. The school is located in Kansas City, Missouri and will have 833 students this fall.

Looking at Staley High School, you may not necessarily see many differences between this high school and other new school buildings. But the differences are there. Most of the steel used in the structure is recycled, and all materials came from vendors located within a 500-mile radius. The school's approach to energy is equally green: the heating system is geothermal. Heat is stored underground during the summer and reused in the winter. The building's fixtures are energy efficient — the lights even turn themselves off if no one is in the room. Water fixtures are also low-flow.

The building was designed by Hollis + Miller, an architectural firm specializing in educational and municipal projects. Staley High School cost $89 million to construct.

It looks likely that more and more public buildings will focus on sustainable building in the future. Beyond a commitment to what is best for their communities, most organizations operating such buildings will find the reduced long-term operational costs ideal for their budgets, even if there is a higher initial cost.

Image — Hollis + Miller