The new 121,600 sq. ft K-8 School replaced the existing facility and added play fields, access drives, and parking to the site. While under construction the existing school remained occupied which avoided the addition expense of portables. The new school has a total capacity of 900 students with two 2-story primary grade wings (grades K-5) and a 3-story intermediate grade tower (6th-8th grades). The new School is a demonstration of a high performing facility and sustainable design. The entire program is organized around a central landscaped courtyard providing the interiors with natural light. The architectural shell of the building is designed for maximum daylighting and incorporates enhanced window and wall insulation to minimize heating and cooling requirements. The exterior is mainly a terracotta rainscreen which addresses weaknesses of conventional exterior wall systems, such as vapor and condensation infiltration, rainwater infiltration, and temperature fluctuations caused by thermal bridging. The project also features a closed loop ground coupled geoexchange system with (150) 500-foot deep wells which provide the central plant with heating and cooling energy storage and radiant floor heating which provides classrooms efficient heating at optimal comfort. Building systems and envelope will provide a 45% yearly savings over a code minimum building employing conventional systems, has a simple payback period of 10 years and requires no maintenance beyond that required by conventional systems.
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