Mother Mary Lange Catholic School was awarded an Excellence in Community Development Award by the Maryland Building Industry Association Land Development Council! The new Catholic school marks the first to be built in Baltimore by the Archdiocese of Baltimore in more than 60 years.
Using the SmartSWM system, the 2.7-acre site now adheres to all local and state government stormwater regulations. Prior to the construction of the Mother Mary Lange Catholic School, the site existed as an undeveloped plot for many years and had no stormwater management features. The new 65,000-square-foot school hosts students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, serving Baltimore and 40 surrounding ZIP codes.
Some of the many indoor and outdoor amenities include rubberized play areas, bus and vehicle drop-off lanes, off-street parking, an artificial turf field, a STEM lab, and various community-based features. To mitigate the stormwater impacts of these amenities, Century Engineering, A Kleinfelder Company, utilized its SmartSWM system. This system uses artificial intelligence in the form of software to adapt smart stormwater management facility behavior to achieve desired performance goals. SmartSWM autonomously controls the timing, volume, and rate of discharge from the facility to greatly enhance performance, including maximizing pollutant reduction. Discharges are offset from other portions of the watershed, thereby reducing downstream erosion, flooding, and combined sewer overflows.
Use of the SmartSWM system at Mother Mary Lange Catholic School includes a network of underground pipes beneath the artificial turf field that collect stormwater runoff and feed it into the system. To mitigate other chronic drainage issues, Century also used pervious pavers on the public promenade, allowing more runoff to filter naturally into the ground.
Mother Mary Lange Catholic School’s stormwater management is a shining example of how engineering can transform and enhance communities for years to come.
Congratulations to our project partners the Archdiocese of Baltimore and Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.
Check out all the award recipients at t.ly/LvdF
