New Design Concepts for Elementary and Secondary Schools

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CAPTION: A new LPA-designed expansion at Brea Olinda High School in Brea, Calif., performs 30% better than California's Title 24 building standards.

Summary

Hard hit by the economy, new construction in the K-12 sector has slowed considerably over the past year. Yet innovation has continued, along with renovations and expansions. Today, Building Teams are showing a keener focus on sustainable design, as well as ways to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ), daylighting, and low-maintenance finishes such as flooring. Furthermore, many professionals are hopeful for an economic recovery in 2011 that would encourage future school construction.

What you will learn

After reading this article, you should be able to:

• Describe how economic challenges are affecting school facilities and their ability to meet energy and environmental demands.
• Explain how energy-efficient approaches such as daylighting and heat recovery contribute positively to school design.
• List interior materials and systems, including lighting, that can benefit a K-12 school’s effectiveness.
• Describe safety-related technologies that are affecting school facility design and operations.

Read the full article and take the course [3].