Muckleshoot K-12 School

In the fall of 2009 the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe opened their new K-12 school near Auburn, WA that received a Silver level LEED for Schools certification. The school, designed by Mahlum Architects and built by BNBuilders, is designed to provide children a deeper understanding of their tribal culture and greater connection to the environment. The state-of-the-art facility provides just over 100,000 square feet of classrooms and specialized support spaces for all grades (K-12). The campus is rich with tribal symbolism, planted with native species and offers stunning views of Mount Rainier.

Although the lead members of the team were experienced in sustainable design and LEED, they brought in O’Brien & Company for LEED Quality Assurance. Our staff helped navigate some of the subtleties of the LEED for Schools rating system, such as how to categorize spaces for daylight, views, and lighting control. We reviewed recommended strategies for documenting sustainability achievements for best recognition under the LEED rating system and reviewed documentation prior to submittal.

The Muckleshoot project was also the debut of the latest version Integrated Pest Management and Green Housekeeping Program packages offered by O’Brien & Company as Innovation Credits.  These plans and policies qualify for innovation credits for the new LEED building design and construction systems as well as for LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance. These packages offer policy and plan development tailored to the unique conditions of the building type, tenant, and use.