Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School

Built on 13 acres, Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School is the first three-story school in Loudoun County and the first elementary school building to have solar panels in its design.

Providing 40% of the school’s power needs, the roof panels were only one reason the 113,600-SF building was recently awarded in the Environmental Protection Agency’s national Decarbonize Your Design Challenge. The award recognizes construction projects that have achieved ENERGY STAR® certification and are meeting strict energy efficiency design targets, creating fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and saving money on energy bills over the lifetime of the respective structures.

With an anticipated capacity of 960 students, the main level, housing kindergarten and first grade, features four solar tubes that funnel natural light to that floor. The second level houses second and third grade and the third level houses fourth and fifth graders. At the heart of each grade’s classrooms is a collaboration center.

Elaine E. Thompson Elementary earned an ENERGY STAR® score of 99. In the national challenge, jurors reviewed 33 projects and selected only four winners. Of the four winning projects, two were built by Shockey.