APS Facilities Design & Construction

ALBUQUERQUE, NM, October 21, 2010 — Three Albuquerque Public Schools projects are being honored by Southwest Contractor with Best of 2010 Awards for New Mexico. Atrisco Heritage Academy High School won in the K-12 Education category; Barcelona Elementary School won in the Green Building category; and Coronado Elementary School took the Renovation/Restoration prize. The annual competition, now in its 13th year, recognizes construction and design excellence in separate award ceremonies for New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. Southwest Contractor, a leading construction industry publication serving the southwest, gathered an independent jury comprised of design and construction professionals to evaluate the numerous entries. Judging criteria included innovation in design, aesthetics, and contributions to the community, among other factors.

Atrisco Heritage Academy on Albuquerque’s west side, is a college prep school based on the Small Learning Communities (SLC) concept and leading the nation in the design of SLC schools. Designed by Fanning Bard Tatum Architects and built by Gerald Martin General Contractors, the award recognizes work performed in Phase 2 of the school’s construction which includes a two story classroom building; the kitchen and cafeteria; administrative space; the health and finance academies; athletic fields and other campus landscaping; and parking and paved courtyards.

The new classroom at Barcelona Elementary School holds the distinction as the first U.S. Green Building Council LEED for Schools Gold Certification in New Mexico. Unique green features in the building include a recycling collection room; insulation made of recycled blue jeans; and numerous skylights and windows that save energy on electric lighting and provide a direct line of sight out a window from almost any location. Conservation water fixtures save 26,000 gallons of water per year compared to conventional fixtures. The new facility was designed by Baker Architecture + Design and built by M.V. Industries.

Coronado Elementary School, first constructed in 1937 and reopened in 2009, is listed on the State Registry of Cultural Properties. Designed by Cherry/See/Reames Architects, LLP and constructed by Gerald Martin General Contractors, the team succeeded in updating the entire school to meet current codes and modern standards while not compromising the integrity of its original architecture.

Tierra Antigua Elementary School, was an Honorable Mention in the Landscape/Urban Planning category of the competition. The facility is the first of three APS elementary schools to be built from a prototype to be used on all new elementary school construction.

''We aim to build schools that promote and nurture student learning,'' said Karen Alarid, Director of Facilities Design + Construction for APS. ''And our projects receiving this recognition certainly helps validate that objective.''

All New Mexico winners will be profiled in the December issue of Southwest Contractor and on www.southwest.construction.com. In addition, project teams will be honored at the awards ceremony to be held at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid on Tuesday, December 14, 2010.

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