Can Existing Schools Get to High Performance? An Update on School Modernization Strategies

Signs are that funding and community interests may be shifting toward modernizing existing schools instead of building new ones. Old school, meet high performance.
This course is no longer active
[ Page 10 of 10 ]  previous page Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10
Sponsored by Pella Commercial and SAFTI FIRST
Layne Evans
McGinnis School
Perth Amboy, New Jersey

Set in a densely populated urban area, the McGinnis School built in 1899 badly needed expansion and modernization, but two of the school's walls sat on property lines, so an addition was out of the question. Yet the school's magnificent old "bones" were clearly worth treasuring. Vitetta Group Architects of Philadelphia found 28,000 additional square feet by enclosing an interior courtyard, adding a mezzanine level, turning the auditorium balcony into library space, and converting the basement into a cafeteria by relocating the mechanical systems to the attic. New double-hung windows with blinds between the glass replaced existing aluminum windows that were in such disrepair they were regularly literally crashing down on the occupants. New fixed frame windows were incorporated into the octagonal staircase area to help bring abundant natural light into the space. There are even new high performance windows to grace the space where the magnificent original circlehead windows had been boarded up since the 1950s.

Photo: Pella Commercial

West School
Laurel, MT

Built in 1956, with an addition in 1979, West Elementary School's original aluminum windows served as more of a hindrance than a help in the learning process for both teachers and students. Noise from the playground distracted the students. Teachers had no control over temperature; it was always either too hot or too cold. The school has no air conditioning, and attempting to open the nonscreened single-pane windows for improved airflow resulted in bugs flying in - including bees that would scare, distract and sometimes sting the children. Windows made of engineered fiberglass composite were selected. The material is more durable than aluminum and offers the thermal efficiency of wood, but is priced competitively with vinyl, and does not require painting. But the low-e insulating glass in the windows also improves performance, reducing heat gain and protecting from UV rays, making the windows extremely energy-efficient in the harsh Montana climate.

The school district worked directly with the window manufacturer and local general contractor Fisher Construction. Since having the new windows installed, in addition to the energy savings in the first year, the school has noticed that the constant complaints about discomfort have stopped. And no more bees.

Photo: Pella Commercial

So, Can Existing Schools Get to High Performance?

Ample proof has been found that the performance of students and teachers is deeply linked to the performance of their school building.

The answer is yes − and maybe. Our national record even on keeping up with repair and maintenance of our schools is not very promising. We've let a $322 billion backlog build up, and after the first few hundred billions, you're talking real money. This is before we even begin talking sustainability and human potential.

But no one can ignore the sheer design inspiration and commitment to children, teachers and the environment shown in hundreds of examples of high performance schools around the country. Ample proof has been found that the performance of students and teachers is deeply linked to the performance of their school building. Now we have to bring that knowledge to bear on the special challenges of 98,000 existing schools (just counting public K-12) in all their amazing diversity of ages, neighborhoods, construction types and states of bygone stateliness or crumbling disrepair. Architects can play an indispensable role, helping to optimize modernization programs but also helping to keep an overall vision strong whether the improvement lasts one summer or unfolds over several years. About 50 million students are waiting for that high-performance light to shine in.

Layne Evans writes about buildings and the environment. She is the former Executive Director of the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council, and was Director of Information Systems for the Construction Criteria Base program at the National Institute of Building Sciences.

Pella Corporation

Pella Corporation

 

[ Page 10 of 10 ]  previous page Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10
Originally published in June 2010

Notice

Academies