Wilde Lake Middle School in Columbia is making its debut this week as Maryland’s first “net-zero energy” school — meaning the $33 million building’s extensive solar panel array will help it generate as much energy as it uses.
The new school is significantly larger than the 48-year-old building it is replacing, and is designed to anticipate enrollment growth in Howard County, officials said. It was built on the same campus as the former Wilde Lake school, which will be demolished for athletic fields and a bus loop.