PHOTO: The new Occoquan Elementary School, featuring rooftop solar panels and canopy. (Rendering: PWCS)
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) will celebrate the opening of its first net-zero energy school building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. The new building replaces Occoquan Elementary School, the division's oldest school at nearly 100 years old.
The ceremony will be held at the school, located at 12915 Occoquan Rd. in Woodbridge. Guests will have the opportunity to tour the new building following the event.
A net-zero energy building is designed to produce as much renewable energy as it consumes over the course of a year, through a combination of energy-efficient design, advanced technologies and on-site renewable energy generation. For Occoquan Elementary, that means rooftop solar panels, with future solar canopies planned for the parking lot, alongside a rooftop outdoor classroom.
The building is also heated and cooled by a geothermal well system and wrapped in an energy-efficient, insulated envelope. Large windows throughout the school are designed to maximize natural daylight in classrooms and other learning spaces.
Circular skylight — as the one mid-article visual, since it's the most striking image and ties directly to the daylight/design content already in the piece.
The project has been years in the making. Local officials, School Board members and Superintendent Dr. LaTanya D. McDade gathered in September 2024 to celebrate the start of construction. At that groundbreaking event, McDade framed the project as part of a broader shift in how the division builds schools.
“Our goal is not just to build schools,” McDade said at the time. “Our goal is to replace industrial facilities with improved and sustainable schools.”
The new Occoquan Elementary replaces a school building that had served the community for nearly a century, making it the oldest in the PWCS system. It was designed by Perkins Eastman Architects and built by HESS Construction Company, with Jason Mastrangelo of the PWCS Facilities Department's Construction Office serving as project manager. Renderings of the finished building show a light-filled interior, including a library and media center, a hallway with a playful, cloud-themed ceiling, and a circular skylight over a central stairwell.
Media Relations Coordinator Meghan Silas said PWCS is inviting outlets interested in covering the ceremony and getting a first look at the building to reach out ahead of time to coordinate.
The ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. at Occoquan Elementary School, 12915 Occoquan Rd., Woodbridge, VA 22192.