The New
Colonel
Smith
Middle
School
Complex
Arizona’s
First
Net Zero
School
USGBC Annual Conference
Arizona Chapter
March 20, 2013
The Fort Huachuca Accommodation School
District:
1,300 Students
Grades K-8
Students are primarily from military families
Located 45 minutes southeast of Tucson, Arizona
Located on the U.S. Army’s leading intelligence training installation
Educational Leadership from the Superintendent
Conceptual Vision
A state of the art middle school to house grades 6, 7 and 8
whose instructional program is driven by technology. To us a
“Technology Driven School” has two components. One is
centered around the INSTRUCTIONAL opportunities of
technology. And the second is driven by CONSTRUCTION and
OPERATIONAL opportunities of technology.
21st Century Learning Concepts
Learning opportunities enhanced
through technology
Inquiry based activities using
synthesis and analysis
Interactions model
meta-cognition
Learning experiences are
embedded in authenticity
Relevance prevails
Collaborative instructional
space supports active student
engagement
Communities of global
inquiry
Instruction is
interdisciplinary and
projects-based
Students at the center of
the learning process
Summary of Instructional Technology
•
Integrated Delivery of instructional material.
•
Inter-Disciplinary study opportunities and instruction.
•
Hands-on technology for every student (laptop or iPad).
•
This is a ‘Hot Building’. Wirelessly connect throughout. Indoors and out.
•
There is a ‘Hottest Spot’ or Nerve Center. This ‘Space’ looms over the classroom spaces. This traditionally would be the
media center.
•
We recognize that we do not need a library as we know it today.
•
We recognize that few textbooks will be needed in our school, especially in the upper grades.
•
We believe that technology usage will be different in Grades 6, Grades 7 and Grades 8, as this relates instructional
delivery.
•
Experimentation is a key to our instructional process.
•
Individual and small group work takes place daily, informally and spontaneously.
•
Critical skills of thinking, working together and research are paramount. ‘Real world’ collaborative work focus is integral for
daily instruction.
•
Every space in the building and on the school site must be considered a ‘learning space’. Hallways, walkways, patios,
play areas are all opportunities for learning and communication.
•
We believe that our school will offer a great sense of security to our students. Our students need their ‘place’, their
friends, their opportunity for learning in a safe, secure and perhaps residential scale environment.
•
From a comparative standpoint, it is fair to think of the instructional delivery program as a Montessori Program for Middle
Schoolers. Individual learning styles, individual progress, interdisciplinary study and exploration and spontaneous learning
opportunities all driving the instructional program, with tomorrows technology.
Summary of Building Technology
The integration of solar, wind, geothermal and water harvesting and reuse are basic
components to the design and operation of this building.
Material selection will be focused on green products and unique furnishings that support
technology usage, have a residential feel and scale. Furnishing should be comfortable for
students and flexibility in usage.
Construction methodology must be sensitive to the environment on a daily basis. Concern
for emissions, handling waste and preserving land and plants must be evident.
The anticipated building systems lead the District to the need for a building management
services contract at the time we open the new school to assure safety and cost efficient
operation of the new building.
All building systems should lead to learning opportunities. View of building operational
systems, color coding, measurement and any other real world opportunity for learning
needs to be captured.
Educational Program
Our Vision:
Real world, authentic Project Based Learning
STEM Driven, integrated, group instruction
Supported by integrated technology
Student Centered, Teacher Facilitated
All based on Dr. Frueauff’s research and experience
Electric, Solar, Water and Wind are all monitored for student study
purposes
Design Criteria:
A ‘future proof’ school……….. flexibility
Support Project Based Learning model
Learning must start immediately when student steps on to the site
Every square foot indoor and outdoor must provide a learning
opportunity
Support the community environmentally
A sense of ‘Place’ for students
What Net Zero Means to Us
Sustainable Performance of our building.
Real cost savings for the school district.
A learning opportunity for our students.
Doing the right thing for our community.
Project Sustainability Practices
Minimizing energy usage
Daylighting
Managing Stormwater
Harvesting Rainwater
Solar Hot Water
Maximizing energy production with wind and solar
Recycling
Key Sustainable Element
Providing an awareness of sustainable practices and respect
for our environmental resources to STUDENTS.
Students are our most sustainable resource.
Objectives
NZEB primary principles:
• Carefully designed daylighting, turn electric lights off, solar gain
less than electric lighting internal heat gain
• Optimized HVAC designed to daylighted building
• Control over all other loads, especially computers
• Minimum quiescent base load
Procedures
• Fully daylight all highoccupancy-hour spaces
• Don’t waste cooling energy on
low-occupancy-hour spaces
• Primary source: north sky
clerestories
• More lumens per watt than
other daylight orientations
• Secondary sources
• Shaded south daylight
• Diffusing skylights
• Windows
Climate and Site
Favorable latitude 31.5° N
High sunshine availability
Moderate temperatures
Low humidity
Unobstructed sky dome
Clerestory
Skylights
Daylighting by Element
Windows
All
Strategy
Classrooms
North and south clerestories and windows
Skylights
Gym
North clerestory
Skylights
Core
Skylights, clerestory
Typical Classroom Section
• Peek-a-boo clerestory
• South wall shaded window and
clerestory
• Cutoff angle for winter passive
heating
• Skylights in side classrooms
(min E and W windows)
Notes
Designed to operate without electric
lighting by day in highly occupied
spaces
Very efficient dimmable electric
lighting is provided with daylighting
controls
Spaces not fully daylighted have
low hours of general use or useful
low light levels
Notes (Continued)
Design target <15,000 BTU/SF/YR
Minimal electric lighting day and night
NZEB operation at lowest possible cost for renewable resource
HVAC system size smaller than a conventional design
Total energy use reduced by about one-half
Building Energy Model Process
Hourly Analysis Program (HAP) Version 4.51
Estimating loads and designing systems
Simulating energy use and calculating energy costs
Three-step process
Define building
Create mechanical systems
Run annual simulation
1. Define Building
2. Create Mechanical
Systems
3. Run Annual Simulation
Building Envelope
constructions
Identify internal loads:
Lighting, equipment &
people
Determine how building is
utilized: When lights
are on & when people
occupy the building
Type of walls, roof and
insulation
Window U-Values
Solar heat gain
coefficients
Group into thermal zones
(under control of one
thermostat)
Calculate outdoor air
ventilation
Assign appropriate/
desired HVAC equipment:
split system DX units or
large central air handling
units
Identify all items that consume
energy
Enter accurate fan power and
mechanical equipment
efficiencies
Assign utility rates to electric,
natural gas, etc.
THEN HAP estimates annual
energy usage & energy
costs by simulating building
operations based on 8,760
hours in a year
Compare results & costs to
determine best design
Design Process
Design Charrette
Preliminary Design
Schematic Design
Final Design
Develop footprint
Generate building
elevations– more
accurate estimate of
glass and proportions
per space
Construction materials
are known
Finalize building
envelope, internal loads,
people and schedules
Generate energy model
“shoe box” or
generalized shape with
approx. dimensions
Lighting densities used
Estimate HVAC
equipment
Estimate size of
electrical service
Determine floor to floor
ceiling heights
Recalculate heating and
cooling loads & refine
equipment sizes
Set glass performance
and R-values
More accurate lighting
power density
Know occupied times
Heat generating
equipment that affects
internal cooling load
known
Choose desired wall
type
Focus shifts to
mechanical process
Compare annual
operating costs to
determine which
mechanical option is
best
Energy Model Data
Area
Gross SF
Modeled
(Net) SF
kBtu w/ Gas
kBtu/SF
Per Year
kBtu w/o Gas
kBtu/SF
Per Year
kWH
kWh/SF
Per Year
Unit A/B
56,964
43,647 1,191,271
27.29
881,151
20.19 258,251
5.92
Unit C
20,587
19,524
620,422
31.78
349,621
17.91 102,468
5.25
Unit D
11,142
10,612
334,432
31.51
195,727
18.44
57,364
5.41
Total
88,693
73,783 2,146,125
29.09
1,426,499
19.33 418,083
5.67
The results become the baseline control for estimating renewable
requirements for achieving net zero monitoring behavior after
occupancy for Validation of Building Performance.
Site Concepts
Bird’s-Eye View
Areas of Integrated Technology
1. Instructional
2. Sustainable
3. Building
Collaboration Space- Instructional Technology
Mobile Interactive
White Board
Hot Spot
Collaboration Space- Instructional Technology
WallTalkers®
Collaboration
Building Technology
Building Technology
Student Entry
Sustainable Technology
Day Lighting
Wind Turbines
Sustainable Technology
Solar Water Heating
Photovoltaics
Photovoltaics
Sustainable Summary
Net Zero Energy
Energy Modeled
Energy Management / Dashboard
Photovoltaics for electrical offset
Solar Water Heating for gas offset
Wind Turbines for night / storm electrical offset
Daylighting
High Efficiency HVAC Equipment
Ceiling Fans
Water Harvesting / Native Plant Palette
The Importance of Colonel Smith Middle School
Aspiration
Redefine the learning
environment for the 21st century
Make environmental awareness
central to the curriculum
Awareness
Serves as teaching tool for
students and the community
Performance data not predicted
outcomes
Real time feedback = timely
intervention
Real time feedback = improved
performance
Net Zero Energy Building Benefits:
• Stabilize future building energy costs
• Reduce overall school energy consumption
• Building and systems designed as an integral part of the educational
delivery process
• Students monitor energy use and generation, wind dynamics and
water harvesting
Group Discussion
Thank You!
Dr. Ronda Frueauff
Fort Huachuca Schools
520.458.5082
frueauffr@fhasd.org
Richard Clutter, AIA, REFP, LEED AP
Emc2 Group Architects Planners, PC
480.830.3838
rclutter@emc2architects.com