Fossil Ridge High School

A typical high school in Colorado costs about $1.00 per square foot per year to heat. Could a comparable school be designed and built that could be heated and cooled for half the typical cost? Could such a school also become an outstanding place for teaching and learning? These questions were among the significant challenges given to the design team for Poudre School District's recently completed Fossil Ridge High School, the fifth public high school in Ft. Collins. This article examines the major steps, features, and results that have gone into this LEED Silver Certified school.