In the past eight years, the design standards of classrooms have improved significantly. This movement was instigated by the introduction of the classroom acoustics standard in 2002 from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), in collaboration with the Acoustical Society of America. The standard, formally known as ANSI S12.60, has become…

When Arthur Stellar came to Massachusetts' Taunton Public Schools in 2005, he knew that part of his job as superintendent would be cost cutting. That's no easy task without sacrificing the quality of education the district provided. How to decrease what you spend without eliminating vital resources? One way, Stellar says, is to assess what you're…

Several articles are presented covering the development and use of gas/electric cooling solutions for public schools and colleges. Articles address financing issues; indoor air quality (IAQ) problems and solutions; and the analysis of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Three examples of how schools solved their cooling problems…

An energy task group of the American Institute of Architects discusses design features and options that educational facility designers can use to create an energy efficient school building. Design elements cover the building envelope, energy storage system, hydronic heating/cooling systems, solar energy collection, building orientation and shape,…

The American Institute of Architects National Committee on Architecture for Education presents this guide which addresses methods of energy conservation in school buildings with simple design, construction, and equipment-control technology so that trained and creative people can take over functions normally done by machinery and automated…

Boulder Valley (Colorado) finds savings with an energy-management strategy that makes conservation automatic. Phase-one strategies included a complete lighting system upgrade and a computerized climate-control system. The energy program has helped the district cut monthly kilowatt consumption by 42%, and natural gas consumption has dropped 27%.…

This report examines the problem of acoustic inadequacy in the classroom, how it affects students and teachers, and possible solutions. It explains how to predict classroom adequacy for communication by assessing the level of speech in competition with other noise, and the level of that competing noise itself in terms of reverberation that allows…

Design information, floor plan, photos, and energy use data are presented of a combined 45,000 square foot junior/senior high school in Mississippi's Aberdeen School District, built in 1956, and retrofitted over time to improve its usability. Exterior and interior photos are presented showing classrooms, the cafeteria, and gymnasium. Data are…

Building design and construction that helps deliver both superior air quality and occupant thermal comfort, while minimizing energy consumption, are examined. The paper explores an integrated building systems approach that combines the principles of "directed air flow control" and "demand controlled ventilation" where ventilation is effectively…

After 20 years of inadequate heating and cooling, an Indiana school district took advantage of a 1994 state law that allows school districts to bypass the "low-bidder wins" restriction. The district established a guaranteed energy-saving contract for a climate-control-improvements package to retrofit the junior-senior high school. (MLF)

A Minneapolis, Minnesota, elementary school under construction has been uniquely designed to incorporate improved air quality as a key component in boosting student health and performance. Lists common-sense adjustments existing schools can make to improve the quality of their interior air. (MLF)

A new elementary school in New Hampshire uses innovative European ventilation technology to ensure excellent air quality. Combined with high-efficiency lighting, the system should reduce energy consumption by 10 to 20%, compared with a traditional facility. (MLF)

Based on the premise that school facility design should actively encourage efficient and effective learning, this book explores key design decisions that have a crucial impact on the kind of student-teacher-media interactions which take place in all school rooms and open spaces. Topics addressed include learning space specifications; the…

A school construction guide offers key personnel in school development projects information on the complex task of master planning and construction of schools in Australia. This chapter of the guide provides advice on school building design issues, such as the fundamentals of good design and designs that accommodate change, issues affecting…

North Chicago, Illinois, District 187, received a districtwide overhaul of lighting, heating, ventilation, and security systems through a 10-year performance contract with the Honeywell Corporation. The Briarcliff Manor Union-Free School District, New York, has a contract with Johnson Controls that guarantees a portion of the energy savings…