Improving the school building may well be the most overlooked means of improving student health, safety, and academic performance. Yet in conversations about factors that lead students to academic success, only rarely does the role of the physical environment come to the fore. By downplaying the importance of the building, policymakers and parents…

This article stresses the importance of building design above technology as a relatively inexpensive way to reduce energy costs for a library. Emphasis is placed on passive solar design for heat and daylighting, but also examines passive ventilation and cooling, green roofs, and building materials. Passive design is weighed against technologies…

Public education is one of the central tasks of a democratic society, and the buildings that house this important task not only shape the way one teaches, but provide icons and symbols for the values people hold common as a society. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this context has placed school buildings squarely in a position of debate and innovation…

Occupant comfort in glass facade buildings is the problem for which a solution is suggested. Optimum comfort is obtained by intercepting radiant heat before it enters the room. Through a combination of luminaires, induction boxes, and louvers, a "Lite-Therm System" is presented which integrates lighting, heating, and cooling systems into the…

The 1979 passive solar design for Meadow Park Elementary School (Irvine, California) was not used until 1986. Architects had incorporated workable energy-saving features that would give a sizable return on the investment. They maximized use of natural light and used solar features (clerestory windows and interior courtyards) to reduce heat…

BSIC has selected data for inclusion, and a method of presentation that-- (1) provides preliminary data, in comparable form, about all relevant systems building products, (2) surveys within the limits imposed, the problems of compatibility between subsystem components and to identify components which are compatible with one another, (3) identifies…

A computerized review of construction bidding documents, usually done by a consulting engineer, can reveal how much money it will cost to operate various alternative types of HVAC equipment over a school's lifetime. The review should include a computerized load calculation, energy systems flow diagram, control system analysis, and a computerized…

The paper argues that existing computer programs for thermal predictions do not produce suitable information for architects, particularly at the early stages of design. It reviews the important building features that determine the thermal environment and the need for heating and cooling plant. Graphical design aids are proposed, with examples to…

This review explores which facility attributes affect academic outcomes the most and in what manner and degree. The research is examined in six categories: indoor air quality, ventilation, and thermal comfort; lighting; acoustics; building age and quality; school size; and class size. The review concludes that school facilities affect learning.…

This publication contains conservation suggestions for schools in California to save water and energy. Contents include: (1) a list of sources of additional energy education assistance and materials; (2) a discussion of energy conservation in schools including HVAC system operations, lighting and building design; (3) a summary outline of actions…

This booklet tells how to set up an Energy Conservation Program in individual school districts. It discusses: (1) appointing an energy conservation manager; (2) keeping energy consumption records; and (3) assessing the energy saving potential of each school; and it outlines (4) some of the steps that can be taken to cut down energy waste.…

Quality, not intensity, is the keystone to good library lighting. The single most important problem in lighting is glare caused by extremely intense centers of light. Multiple interfiling of light rays is a factor required in library lighting. A fixture that diffuses light well is basic when light emerges from the fixture. It scatters widely,…

Research has shown that a school building's condition affects student achievement and behavior and that certain facility design elements can improve the learning climate. An ideal CDC (cost-design-climate) associative environment has a balanced interrelationship among the three elements. Unnecessarily emphasizing one or more elements may seriously…

A multitude of design strategies are available to achieve energy-efficient windows. Opportunities for improving window performance fall into six groups: site, exterior appendages, frame, glazing, interior accessories, and building interior. Design strategies within these groups can improve one or more of the six energy functions of windows: solar…

This energy conservation workbook series was developed to provide specific data on the effect of various design and operating decisions on both cost and energy consumption. It is designed to make clear the energy consumption and cost implications of various building design and operating decisions in terms that both the layman and design…