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Community Involvement and Use of the Building Today's school buildings typically serve the community as well as the school. It is not unusual for buildings to become community centers after the students leave in the afternoon and on weekends. Many elementary schools are built with adult gymnasiums to serve the community's recreation program. A school facilities project process that involves the community shapes each school facility as a positive, inclusive, and vital presence for the neighborhood. Such involvement can strengthen community support for education and for the bond issue to fund construction. The U.S. Department of Education's planning guide, Schools as Centers of Community, states, "Community ownership results from shared problem-solving and decision-making that leads to the creation of a common vision and purpose that binds divergent parts of the community together." A high performance school's inclusive design process involves community stakeholders (parents, students, educators, municipal agencies, utility companies and community organizations) right from the start. It also: Leverages private, community and school resources; Leads to school facilities that are central to the life of the entire community and a source of pride to the community; and Improves community livability, property values and results in economic growth. [Top of Page] Integrated Design Process Integrated design is the consideration and design of all building systems and elements together – and from the very start of the design process. In traditional design, the architect, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, contractors and other design team members each have their own scope of work and often pursue it without adequate communication and interaction with other team members, resulting in oversized systems or systems that are designed for non-typical conditions. In integrated design, the entire building team understands the performance objectives and discusses topics such as climate, site, resource efficiencies and client needs. This collaboration provides overall project direction and highlights areas where integrated solutions will have the greatest impact. Each member of the design team is involved from the very beginning since each discipline's recommendations have an impact on other aspects of the building project. This process allows professionals working in various disciplines to take advantage of efficiencies that may not be apparent when working in isolation. A high performance school requires an integrated design process which: Includes energy analysts, materials consultants, cost consultants, lighting designers, and commissioning agents as well as the design professionals;. Includes eco-charrettes, modeling and simulations; Avoids system redundancy, optimizes building performance and reduces cost; and Meets performance objectives. [Top of Page] Life Cycle Cost (LCC) Analysis and Decision-making The true cost of a school is much more than the price to design and build it. The long-term costs of operating and maintaining the facility must also be included. Only by evaluating all three of these parameters can a community understand how much a new school really "costs." And only by looking at all three parameters simultaneously can the impacts of alternative design approaches be evaluated. High performance classroom glazing, for example, may cost more upfront, but may result in energy savings that pay for the glazing upgrade in a few years and then continue to save money for years to come. A high performance school utilizes life cycle cost analysis to: Inform decisions about systems, materials and equipment; Create a school building with the lowest long-term costs of ownership; and Be fiscally responsible. [Top of Page] Energy Analysis Energy analysis tools are computer programs designed to predict a building's annual energy consumption. They are used to evaluate the energy impacts of various low-energy strategies (e.g., higher insulation levels, better glazing, increased thermal mass, etc.) in terms of their influence on overall building performance. Combined with accurate cost estimates, energy analysis programs can help the design team and building committee select technologies and equipment that will dramatically reduce energy consumption, while at the same time will not affect the cost of construction. A high performance school requires the design team to use energy analysis tool(s) during pre-design and through the bidding and negotiation phase. Doing so allows the design team to: Integrate building systems when building strategies and systems can be integrated at the lowest possible cost; Quickly compare and contrast a variety of alternate design strategies so that the optimal system can be selected; and Meet energy efficiency performance objectives set at a base of 20-50 percent above ASHRAE 90.1 - 2001. [Top of Page] Commissioning Building commissioning is the systematic process of ensuring and documenting that all building systems perform in accordance with design intent, and that they meet the owner's operational needs. A commissioning agent represents the district and is hired from the beginning of the design process through the end of the building's warranty period, typically one year after occupation. The agent ensures that an integrated design process is followed, performance objectives are met, and the building's key systems are designed to function interactively in ways that create a healthy, productive, environmentally efficient, and cost-effective environment for teaching and learning. Finally, the agent is responsible for testing all systems to ensure that these systems actually function as designed, the maintenance staff are trained in their use and maintenance, and that systems meet the goals of the school's students, teachers, and administrators. A high performance school's comprehensive building commissioning plan includes: Documenting the design intent and operation protocols for all building systems; Verifying in-place system performance through well-documented testing and measurement; Preparing comprehensive operation and maintenance manuals; coupled with appropriate training of building operations staff; and Monitoring system performance on an ongoing basis. [Top of Page] Environmentally Sensitive Construction Practices The typical school construction process pays little heed to site considerations. However, construction practices have an impact on the local environment and neighborhoods and are the cause of many liability issues. Builders should be thoroughly trained in safe, sustainable construction practices. A high performance school contract specifies that: There is careful coordination with school officials to ensure the safety of students; Construction waste management is carefully planned and controlled; Construction waste is recycled as appropriate; Sedimentation and storm water is controlled; Delivery of equipment is sequenced to allow little or no on-site storage; and There is control of dangerous substances. [Top of Page] Environmentally Responsible Site Considerations The choice between renovating, adding on to an existing building, or building new is a choice faced by many districts. Issues such as available land and its cost, keeping a building in the neighborhood or moving so that students must be transported can become critical in this choice. Once the decision to construct a new building is made, the choice of a new site and how the building will be positioned on that site become critical first steps in the design process. A high performance school maximizes the site through: Helping the school function at peak efficiency through placement and orientation of the building; Minimizing adverse impacts on the local environment; Serving as an amenity for the surrounding community; Conserving existing natural areas, restoring damaged ones, minimizing stormwater runoff, controlling erosion, enhancing daylighting; Reducing "heat islands"; and Minimizing light pollution. A well-integrated design and site planning process ensures that the site reinforces the building and vice versa, and that both components operate at peak levels of performance. [Top of Page] Environmentally Preferable Materials, Products and Equipment Building materials may contain toxic substances that can harm workers during construction, as well as students and teachers after occupancy. In addition, the mining, harvesting, and production of certain building materials can pollute our air and water, destroy habitats, and deplete natural resources. Transporting building products long distances also contributes to pollution and energy waste. A high performance school requires material selection that not only helps the environment, but also contributes to the health and well being of its occupants by: Selecting non-toxic, environmentally friendly materials; Maximizing the recycled content of materials used; Specifying durable materials that are easy to clean and maintain using environmentally friendly cleaning agents; and Specifying ENERGY STAR appliances, computers and equipment. [Top of Page] Daylighting The use of natural light in classrooms (now called Daylighting) has been a cornerstone of building construction for centuries. Natural light is the highest quality light source for visual tasks, as it enhances the color and appearance of objects. Studies clearly indicate that lighting classrooms with natural, indirect light can enhance student performance. Views from windows also provide a connection with the natural world and promote healthy vision by allowing frequent changes in focal distance. Designing rooms to take advantage of daylight can also save a school money. Properly designed systems can substantially reduce the need for electric lighting, which can account for 35 to 50 percent of a school's electrical energy consumption. An added benefit is that waste heat from the lighting system is also reduced, which in turn reduces demand on the school's cooling equipment by up to 10 to 20 percent. A high performance school recognizes that daylighting may be one of the most important attributes of the design and maximizes access to natural light by: Using daylight modeling techniques to ensure proper building orientation, classroom location and design; Using windows, clerestories, toplighting and roof monitors to provide natural light; Controlling glare from direct sunlight and providing uniform light levels by using lightshelves, overhangs and roof monitors; and Incorporating dimming sensors to reduce the use of artificial light. [Top of Page] Water Efficiency Basic efficiency measures can reduce a school's water usage by 30 percent or more. These reductions lower a school's operating expenses as well as help the environment, locally and regionally. The technologies and techniques used to conserve water- especially landscaping, water treatment and recycling strategies- can be used to help instruct students about ecology and the environment. A high performance school includes technologies such as: Single temperature fittings for student toilets/locker rooms. Automatic lavatory faucet shut-off controls. Low-flow fixtures. Waterless urinals. Use of recycled gray water or rain water for HVAC/process make up water or toilet flushing. On-site wastewater treatment, including full or partial "solar aquatics" systems. Indigenous planting requiring no irrigation. [Top of Page] Acoustical Comfort Parents, students, teachers, and administrators across the country are increasingly concerned that classroom acoustics may be inadequate for proper learning. Noise from outside the school, hallways, other classrooms, mechanical equipment, and even sound from within the classroom itself can all hamper student concentration. This can be particularly inhibiting for younger students, those for whom English is a second language, those with special needs, and those with hearing impairments. A high performance school addresses these potential problems and ensures a superior acoustical environment by: Reducing sound reverberation inside the classroom; Locating classrooms and special rooms using sound and noise transmission factors; Limiting transmission of noise from outside the classroom; and Minimizing background noise from the building's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system. [Top of Page] Efficient Heating, Ventilation and Cooling The HVAC system is one of the largest energy consumers in a school and modest improvements in system efficiency can yield relatively large savings in a school's operating budget. More schools in the Northeast are adding air conditioning systems to increase thermal comfort and to allow building use all year. With the highly efficient systems available today (and the sophisticated analysis tools that can be used to select and size them), every school HVAC system can be designed to the highest levels of performance. An oversized system will not only cost more, it will be too large to run at peak efficiency and will, in effect, waste energy every time it turns on. Daylighting strategies dramatically affect heating and cooling system size and location. A high performance school takes an integrated approach to HVAC system choice by: Using natural ventilation wherever possible; Sizing units based on an accurate estimate of the impact of the high efficiency building shell, lighting, and other systems; Choosing equipment with high efficiency motors, variable speed fans that sizes the HVAC system for optimum performance and efficiency; and Basing equipment choices on the life cycle cost method. [Top of Page] Efficient Electric Lighting The quality of a school's electric lighting system has an enormous impact on the productivity of students, teachers, and staff, and on the facility's operating budget. Furthermore, electric lighting can account for 30 to 50 percent of a school's electric power consumption; therefore even modest efficiency improvements can mean substantial bottom line savings. A high performance school provides superior electric lighting by optimizing "watts per square foot" while retaining visual quality. This is accomplished by: Integrating complementary electric lighting and daylighting design strategies; Specifying high efficiency lamps and ballasts; Optimizing the number and type of luminaries (light fixtures) for each application; Incorporating dimming and occupancy sensors and controls to ensure peak system performance; and Combining task lighting with the careful design and planning of exterior lighting. [Top of Page] Indoor Air Quality According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the concentration of pollutants inside a building may be two to five times higher than outside levels. Children are particularly vulnerable to such pollutants because their breathing and metabolic rates are high relative to their size- much higher than for adults. Maintaining a high level of indoor air quality positively impacts student and teacher performance and reduces absenteeism and the potential for long- and short-term health problems for students and staff. Conversely, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can accelerate the deterioration and reduce the efficiency of the school's physical plant, create negative publicity that damages a school's image, and leads to potential liability lawsuits. A high performance school maximizes indoor air quality through: Controlling construction sequencing and practices; Installing superior ventilation systems; Incorporating use of outside air; Choosing non-toxic materials; and Establishing an IAQ Management Plan. [Top of Page] Thermal Comfort Thermal comfort is a function of the temperature and relative humidity in a room. Hot, stuffy rooms- and cold, drafty ones- reduce attention spans and limit productivity. They also waste energy, adding unnecessary cost to a school's bottom line. While the building code requires minimum levels of temperature and humidity in occupied spaces, it does not specify how these levels are to be achieved. Further, code levels are only minimums- the optimal levels for specific applications may be quite different. A high performance school ensures that rooms and HVAC systems are designed to: Allow temperature and humidity levels to remain within the "comfort zone" at all points in an occupied space; Allow teachers some control over classroom comfort; Maintain thermal comfort under all conditions; and Use natural ventilation technologies to introduce outside air as feasible. [Top of Page] Renewable Energy Technologies Renewable energy systems reduce a school's overall operating expenses and play a significant role in preserving the environment. Many of the techniques employed (for example, daylighting and natural ventilation) also contribute to a high quality learning environment. Other strategies, particularly solar, thermal, wind, and photovoltaic applications, are exciting technologies that can be used to teach students about science, ecology, and the environment. A high performance school maximizes the cost-effective use of renewable systems to meet its energy needs by: Including the use of renewable technologies in the Feasibility Study; and Investigating the financial incentives and rebates available for the design and incremental cost of these systems.

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