What if there were a school that taught its children far, far more than reading, writing and arithmetic, and in doing so, taught the world outside a little something as well?

The "Beyond LEED: Living Buildings and the 2030 Challenge" session at SXSW Eco, much like its title implied, focused last week on going above and beyond the standards set by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.  What was meant to be merely a starting point for architects and designers looking to build a greener world, the panel explained, had accidentally become a measuring stick -- a gold standard to which "eco-friendly" development is now held, even though more can be done, and should.  

So, some of America's most esteemed architects came together to talk about living buildings -- i.e., those that can exist off the grid, some even creating energy of their own in the process.  In doing so, they told the awesome story of a promising example: The Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C.

A private K-12 school in the Tenleytown neighborhood of DC, Sidwell Friends' middle school building was renovated in 2006 to circulate and clean its own water through on-site sewage treatment, water re-use, and water-efficient native plants.  Those efforts now reduce the school’s water consumption by 93 percent and keep it entirely disconnected from the city's sewer system.  The kicker?  It actually saved $60,000 in doing so, and tests have shown that the school's water is actually cleaner than that of the city itself.  

With its repurposed materials, rain garden, wetlands, and green roof featuring 50 native plant species chosen for their ability to break down pollutants, this school is both reducing its footprint and teaching future generations how to do the same?  In our book, that's a lesson plan worthy of an A+.