Project Details

The New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School (Sci High) opened its doors to a brand-new, award-winning facility in the city’s medical and biosciences corridor. The $27.5 million campus spans 129,716 square feet across three stories, providing space for 750 students and featuring modern amenities like outdoor learning areas, advanced laboratories, and a media center.

To complement the forward-thinking academic design, the project team integrated modern Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) into the campus landscape. These sustainable stormwater features helped the project earn the 2021 CMAA Gulf Coast Chapter Project Achievement Award and reflect the school’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

What Convergent Water Technologies Provided

Convergent Water Technologies supplied two FocalPoint High-Performance Modular Biofiltration Systems (HPMBS) for the front lawn, paired with R-Tank underground detention systems. The modular nature of FocalPoint allowed the project’s civil engineer, Duplantis Design Group (DDG), to design an efficient, space-conscious stormwater solution that maximized infiltration and minimized footprint.

The gutter system was creatively designed to disconnect rooftop downspouts from the subsurface network. Instead, runoff travels across the lawn’s surface, mimicking natural flow patterns before entering the biofiltration areas. Stormwater is filtered through layers of mulch, vegetation, and engineered soil before entering the expanded R-Tank underdrain system. The R-Tanks, with a 95% void space, provide extended detention and promote infiltration into native soils before reaching the city’s storm sewer system.

Why Sci High Chose FocalPoint

Several key features led the project team to implement FocalPoint and R-Tank systems:

• Space Efficiency – FocalPoint’s high infiltration rate (100 inches/hour) enables high-volume treatment in a compact footprint—two systems were installed with surface areas of just 110 SF and 30 SF.
• Surface Integration – The systems were seamlessly integrated into landscaped areas, maintaining a natural look with mulch and plantings.
• Low Maintenance – Designed to be maintained by school staff, the systems require only annual mowing, mulch replacement, and trash removal—no specialized labor necessary.
• Infiltration Optimization – By disconnecting roof drainage and using surface conveyance, the system mimics natural hydrology and reduces load on municipal infrastructure.

Results

The final design created a landscape that is both functional and beautiful. The high-flow FocalPoint biofiltration systems, combined with extended underground storage from R-Tanks, delivered an efficient and easily maintainable GSI solution. The school’s maintenance team is able to manage the systems without external support, reducing long-term costs while supporting sustainability goals.

Sci High’s commitment to innovation and green design is now reflected both inside and outside the classroom—providing a model for future educational facilities across the country.