In January 2012, the 1,200 students of Virginia Beach’s Great Neck Middle came back from winter break to receive one last gift – a new school.

Completed in December 2011, the over $35 million dollar project consisted of a three-story building employing sustainable materials, the newest technologies, and an aesthetically appealing structural design. A more than substantial upgrade from the original 50-year-old building, the new school features an assortment of additions – from visual improvements, such as updated color schemes, natural woods and fabrics, to up-to-date technology like touch screen monitors and Smartboards in each room.

Now LEED certified, the newly constructed building also takes a much greener approach. Using a method called “daylighting”, windows and reflective surfaces are able to successfully provide natural and energy-efficient internal lighting. Additionally, solar water boilers, biogardens, and a rainwater harvesting irrigation system have all been utilized for scientific and environmental benefits.

For ease of fabrication, aesthetic appeal and durability, the designers at Waller, Todd & Sadler Architects of Virginia Beach chose ALPOLIC ACM panels to be used at the main and side entrances, on walls and fascia, around windows and columns, and for canopies and vertical solar louvers. The fabricators at Roof Services Corporation, Virginia Beach, praised the composite panels for being virtually maintenance-free, flexible, and available in a vast range of hues.

In all, nearly 12,000 sq. ft. of the 4mm-thick ALPOLIC material—in a BNT Bone White color, was utilized.