Designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the 280,000-sq-ft Dunbar Senior High School is the most energy-efficient school in the District of Columbia. The $128-million project features geothermal systems, rainwater harvesting and a 482-kW photovoltaic array that was provided through D.C.'s first power purchase agreement.
Geothermal wells were drilled in almost every area on the site where there wasn't a building. This became more of a challenge for crews after the discovery of soil and water contamination at the western end of the site. Once the new facility had been constructed, the previous 1970s school was demolished. The team discovered that a gas station previously operating on the site had caused contamination of the soil and groundwater that had not been properly cleaned.