The Anglo-American school in the Bulgarian capital Sofia held Tuesday the groundbreaking ceremony of a unique environmentally-sensitive building project, the school announced in a press release.

US Ambassador to Bulgaria, James Warlick, Catherine Barber Charge d 'Affairs of Great Britain, the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Waters, Klimentina Deneva, the Chairman of the International Relations and EU Integration Commission, Nicolas Galabov, the Chairman of the Executive Board of Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria, Momtchil Andreev, the Mayor of Pancharevo, Svetoslav Mitrev and the Principal of the School, James Leahy all attended the ceremony.

AAS will invest over BGN 12 M in the project for the new Middle and High School building, 75% of which is a long-term loan from Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria. The expanded facility will have more than 9 300 square meters and will enable the school as a whole to offer education to 550 pre-K-12 students.

The press release points out the new facility is preliminarily registered under the LEED® green building certification program, established by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is accepted as a best practice in green building design, construction, and operation. The sustainability standards were implemented with the start of the design process. A construction waste management plan will reduce debris by 50 percent.

The new school will produce electricity through photovoltaic panels, use solar energy to heat water, filter waste water for re-use for irrigational purposes and have a designated recycling room for students' environmental projects.

The new addition to the present building will have a natural "green roof", which will improve insulation and reduce the heat island effect. Special acoustical design in the classrooms and foyers will ensure that distracting noise will be minimized to facilitate student concentration.  Classrooms will utilize the daylight and have multiple intensity sensors to measure the level of carbon dioxide.  Remote operable windows will allow fresh air when needed and sensors will help control light levels throughout the school.  Bike racks close to the changing facilities will encourage staff and students who live close by to come to school by bike.

An attractive architectural feature will be the outdoor amphitheatre, which will host a variety of student assemblies and performances, the school informs.

In 2010 the Bulgarian Chamber of Architects recognized the Anglo-American School of Sofia as the Most Sustainable Building in Bulgaria and invited AAS to represent Bulgaria in Brussels at the European exhibition of the most sustainable buildings in Europe.

The academic program of the school is based on the best practices of education in the U.K. and the U.S.A. AAS is an IB Diploma school and follows the education standards of the Council of International Schools and New England Association for Schools and Colleges.