Occoquan Elementary is set to become the first net-zero school in Prince William County Schools and will be located in Woodbridge. The new 120,000-square-foot, three-level building will replace the oldest school in PWCS.
“The new Occoquan Elementary School will be a beacon of progress, embodying our dedication to providing an exceptional learning environment while respecting and preserving our planet,” Babur B. Lateef, chairman of the PWCS School Board, said at the ceremony. “This school will be a place where innovation thrives, where students are inspired to think critically and creatively and where they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to become the leaders of tomorrow. By harnessing the power of the sun and the earth, we are setting a precedent for future generations, teaching them the importance of sustainability and the impact of their choices on the world around them.”
Several other local figures were in attendance, including several from Perkins Eastman, the designers behind the building. According to a press release, the school was designed with the school’s motto in mind: “four tribes, one village.” The tribes are Altruista, Lealtad, Mpango and Seigo-Sei.
The school is located near the Occoquan River and will incorporate sustainability in several aspects of the building, including geothermal walls and being oriented for optimal solar usage.
“The renewed campus is designed to inspire joy and wonder among the students. Playing off the school’s ‘four tribes, one village’ ethos, the design visually and metaphorically reengages with the school — inside and out — back into the Occoquan River ecosystem, providing each child with new, active, and experiential opportunities to help create an even more sustainable future for their historic waterfront community,” Perkins Eastman Principal Sean O’Donnell said.
The new school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2026.
