With hotter weather occurring during the school year, school districts are turning to cooling strategies to complement air conditioning.
Reflective playgrounds and roads, cool roofs and window films, shade structures and conversion of asphalt surfaces to a natural state are all being tried in various regions of the country. These measures are particularly important to help children cope with extreme heat because they sweat less and are more prone to dehydration than adults.
Some examples:
- A Los Angeles school district has spent $11.4 million to convert asphalt shingle roofs to white cool roofing since 2017.
- An Atlanta school received a donation from a roofing manufacturer of a bright blue, solar-reflective coating that reduced the temperature on a basketball court by 10 degrees.
- Between 2022 and 2023, California granted more than $121 million for schools to replace asphalt or turf or rubber mats with grass, gardens, mulch, and trees.
More projects like those will be necessary if climate-change-induced heat continues to rise as predicted.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Jul 2, 2018
Columbus State Community College’s new hospitality management and culinary arts building breaks ground
DesignGroup is the architect for the project.
Education Facilities | Jul 2, 2018
California High School renovates classrooms to meet the resurgence of Career Technical Education
Tangram Interiors handled the remodeling project.
Education Facilities | Jun 25, 2018
Behind the whiteboard: Collaborative spaces set teachers up for classroom success
Known as the Teacher coLab, the rejuvenated space takes inspiration from academic incubators in higher education.
Education Facilities | Jun 8, 2018
Data is driving design for education
In gathering this constant flow of data and recognizing the shifting trends, how can educational institutions make informed choices and smart design decisions that lead to higher efficiency and improved control over capital budgets?
| May 30, 2018
Accelerate Live! talk: From micro schools to tiny houses: What’s driving the downsizing economy?
In this 15-minute talk at BD+C’s Accelerate Live! conference (May 10, 2018, Chicago), micro-buildings design expert Aeron Hodges, AIA, explores the key drivers of the micro-buildings movement, and how the trend is spreading into a wide variety of building typologies.
| May 24, 2018
Accelerate Live! talk: Security and the built environment: Insights from an embassy designer
In this 15-minute talk at BD+C’s Accelerate Live! conference (May 10, 2018, Chicago), embassy designer Tom Jacobs explores ways that provide the needed protection while keeping intact the representational and inspirational qualities of a design.
Education Facilities | May 1, 2018
New English school for students with learning disabilities incorporates its woodland setting into the design
Studio Weave designed the school.
Education Facilities | Apr 16, 2018
Cutting-edge designs receive AIA's Education Facility Design Award
Recipients’ designs enhance student learning experiences.
Education Facilities | Apr 11, 2018
Three tips for safe and secure schools
The task of providing safe and secure environments in which our children can learn is both complicated and far-reaching.
Education Facilities | Mar 30, 2018
How can we design safer schools in the age of active shooters?
How can we balance the need for additional security with design principles that foster a more nurturing next-generation learning environment for students?
