From modular schools to a “test” classroom, green construction in the K-12 schools market has taken on many forms in the past decade. With school districts having to keep the needs of students in balance with limited budget flexibility, Building Teams around the country are finding ways to bring green schools into reality, whether by new construction or extensive renovation.
Chula Vista, Calif., charter school High Tech High was advised by San Diego-based general contractor BYCOR to turn to modular construction for its campus. Faced with a tight deadline and strict budget, the project also was working toward a variety of green goals, including LEED.
Modular manufacturer Williams Scotsman was brought on board to coordinate the integration of modular construction with the overall project; 59 modules totaling 32,807 sf were provided for the school, which was awarded LEED for Schools Gold certification.
In 2011 Dills Architects and McKenzie Construction completed the 94,231-sf College Park Elementary School in Virginia Beach, Va., with LEED Platinum certification in mind and net-zero stormwater management to boot. To meet the latter goal, the Building Team specified green vegetative roofing and cisterns for rainwater collection.
One Firm, multiple green certifications
Design firm SHW Group, Plano, Texas, draws from a variety of certification programs and rating systems to help build green.
The 105,000-sf Gloria Marshall Elementary School in Spring, Texas, was the first school in the Houston area to use geothermal heating and cooling. In addition to LEED Gold certification, the school received an Energy Star rating and was designed to meet Texas/CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) criteria.
The Fine Arts Facility at the 23,700-sf McCallum High School in Austin was the first educational facility in Texas to receive a five-star rating from the Austin Energy Green Building Program, the nation’s first comprehensive green building program. SHW saved the school district nearly $1 million by converting existing art rooms into science labs, building a new fine arts facility for theatre and art, and connecting the existing school with the fine arts facility.
The school also includes a “breathable” membrane that uses metal wall panels to keep moisture from getting trapped inside the wall. It is anticipated thait this will result in improved energy efficiency and indoor air quality for the school.
Green construction has also spread to the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School at West Point, N.Y. The elite prep school moved to its new location after the former site in Fort Monmouth, N.J., was closed as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act. The Building Team of STV (architect/engineer) and J. Kokolakis Contracting (GC) earned LEED Gold for the new facility. Environmentally conscious building practices included the procurement of materials with high recycled content, selling unused building materials to nearby manufacturers, and diverting 98.5% of C&D waste from landfill.
Many school districts, notably in California, are simultaneously implementing green building practices while using the buildings themselves to teach environmental principles to students. One such classroom, at the Davis Magnet School in Costa Mesa, was retrofitted with environmentally friendly flooring, furnishes, and paints, as well as high-performance lighting and a new ventilation system. A neighboring classroom was left unimproved.
The resulting experiment has students comparing the two classrooms to learn firsthand the benefits of sustainable educational environments. What’s more, the “greenovation,” according to Irvine-based architecture firm LPA Inc. and the Orange County chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, came at zero cost to the school, having been funded through private donations. +
Related Stories
| Jun 20, 2022
An architectural view of school safety and security
With threats ranging from severe weather to active shooters, school leaders, designers, and security consultants face many challenges in creating safe environments that allow children to thrive.
School Construction | Jun 20, 2022
A charter high school breaks ground in L.A.’s Koreatown
A new charter school has broken ground in Los Angeles’ Koreatown neighborhood.
Building Team | Jun 17, 2022
Data analytics in design and construction: from confusion to clarity and the data-driven future
Data helps virtual design and construction (VDC) teams predict project risks and navigate change, which is especially vital in today’s fluctuating construction environment.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 17, 2022
U. of Georgia football facility expansion provides three floors for high-performance training
A major expansion of the University of Georgia’s football training facility has been completed.
Building Team | Jun 16, 2022
Hybrid work expected to reduce office demand by 9%
Businesses are slowly but consistently transitioning to a permanent hybrid work environment, according to a senior economist at Econometric Advisors.
Building Team | Jun 16, 2022
USGBC announces more than 23 million square feet of LEED certified net zero space
Today, the U.S. Green Building Council announced nearly 100 net zero certifications earned under the LEED Zero program, representing more than 23 million square feet of space.
AEC Business Innovation | Jun 15, 2022
Cognitive health takes center stage in the AEC industry
Two prominent architecture firms are looking to build on the industry’s knowledge base on design’s impact on building occupant health and performance with new research efforts.
Market Data | Jun 15, 2022
ABC’s construction backlog rises in May; contractor confidence falters
Associated Builders and Contractors reports today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to nine months in May from 8.8 months in April, according to an ABC member survey conducted May 17 to June 3. The reading is up one month from May 2021.
Codes and Standards | Jun 15, 2022
Waived tariffs on solar panels expected to boost solar power
The Biden Administration recently waived tariffs on solar panels from four countries in a move advocates say will accelerate the clean energy transition and benefit national security.
Cultural Facilities | Jun 15, 2022
Gehry-designed Children’s Institute aims to foster community outreach in L.A.’s Watts neighborhood
The Children’s Institute (CII) in Los Angeles will open a 200,000-sf campus designed by Frank Gehry this summer.
