Delaware's First Green School

In 2012, Hanby Elementary School & Bush Early Education Center opened as Delaware's first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) school. Built on the footprint of the former Hanby Middle School, the environmentally friendly building features a rooftop rainwater collection system, heavily insulated walls, energy-efficient equipment, LED lights, and more.  Nearly 95% of materials from the demolition of the previous building were re-used in construction.

The Brandywine School District applied for and received a grant from DNREC totaling $950,000 to construct the Hanby. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.