Austin ISD and Menchaca Elementary School are pleased to announce that the modernized Menchaca campus has achieved a two-star rating from Austin Energy Green Building. Opened in January 2020, Menchaca was one of the first schools built through the 2017 Bond Program. 

The AEGB rates facilities like Menchaca using its commercial building scale, which measures major aspects of sustainable design such as integrated design, site, energy, indoor environmental quality, materials and resources, and education and equity. With more than 30 percent of the site being open, vegetated space, Menchaca creates direct links between the outdoor and indoor learning environments. As with all AISD modernization projects, Menchaca includes green features like water-efficient plumbing, 10 percent LED lighting, high-performance windows, efficient air conditioning and heating, locally-sourced produce for campus meals and more.

Since 2004, all new schools and major renovation projects have worked to achieve high ratings from Austin Energy Green Building. AEGB’s mission is to create a sustainable future for the building industry by informing city policies and energy codes and encouraging public demand for sustainability. AEGB was founded in 1991 as the first rating system in the U.S. for evaluating building sustainability and it inspired many cities to follow. With 31 AEGB-certified buildings and counting, AISD is proud to contribute to Austin’s environmental and sustainability goals, while simultaneously teaching our students the importance of responsible stewardship.

We’re excited to grow our sustainability efforts through the modernization projects included in the 2017 Bond Program. Learn more about AISD Sustainability and find out how to get involved with the AISD Environmental Stewardship Committee. Congratulations to the Menchaca community on this achievement, and thank you for your support as we continue to reinvent the urban school district experience!