Getting to High Performance Schools
High performance schools don't have to cost more. The key is to bring your school's administrators and occupants (students and staff) and your design and construction team together early and create a plan for your high performance school
Set Your Goals Early
The earlier you begin to discuss building a high performance school, the greater the opportunity to minimize costs and maximize benefits. Use an "integrated design" process that brings architects, contractors, engineers, staff, students and local community members together to determine your goals for your school. One or more pre-design goal-setting meeting (sometimes called a "charrette") with all stakeholders can be extremely helpful. This group outlines their goals and priorities and communicates those needs to the design-build team. With a sound investment in this kind of design approach, a high performance school will save energy, water, and money spent on operations and maintenance for well beyond the typical service life.
Learn More:
McKim Middle School - Case Study
Get the Right Help
The best architects and engineers for the job are those who are experienced in integrated design, an approach to design that ensures multi-disciplinary contributions and a building that works as a system. BetterBricks connects building professionals with the information, tools, training and consultation needed to design and construct high performance buildings.
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Incorporate Daylighting and Other High Performance Techniques
Many high performance building techniques take advantage of local climate and natural resources (like the sun and prevailing winds) to light, heat, cool and ventilate your building. Other high performance techniques involve using the most efficient equipment and systems (energy saving lighting fixtures and occupancy sensors that turn lights and heat off when a room is not in use, for example). Last, you need to make sure that all high performance features are kept running at peak efficiency throughout the life cycle of your school.
Learn More:
Dena Boer Elementary School Daylighting Initiative
Commission Your Building
Make sure that the systems in your school operate as they were intended by "commissioning" your building. Commissioning is a process that tests, verifies and fine-tunes the performance of a building's systems-including lighting, HVAC and electrical-so that they operate at peak efficiency and provide the greatest level of comfort for occupants. A key part of commissioning is making sure your school's maintenance personnel are trained to keep these systems running well.
Learn More:
Bainbridge Island High School Addition - School Commissioning Project Gets High Grade
