An energy audit is an inspection that looks at energy flow in a building. The objective of an audit is to identify things that can be modified to reduce energy usage and increase comfort and safety for the occupants of the building.
These audits usually involve a blower door that depressurizes a house or office and thermal imaging technology to see the thermal bridges and air leaks. The audit will also identify equipment, lights, and appliances that can be replaced or upgraded to reduce energy consumption.
There are common places that you can address without an audit to cut your energy loss.
In Harrisonburg for homes that use electric heat, HEC provides free energy audits. This free audit is performed by me and is a very basic level audit that will identify a litany of items to improve. If you do not live in the city, or do not have electric heat ,or own a commercial project, or want a comprehensive audit, you should call Building Knowledge.
Working on designs for every client is a task that I take very seriously. I want all of our projects to be healthy places to live, work, and play. They should be energy-efficient and durable for the preservation of future generations. However, designing a project that primarily serves elementary school students raises the bar on all of these goals. So what should be incorporated into a design for an elementary school to enhance the learning experience? See our examples from our elementary school project for Eastern Mennonite School.
School as the center of community – a modern school should be a place for gathering, it should be used 7 days a week, and it should be used by a wide range of community groups. Designing spaces that will allow for access to the building at appropriate times, appropriate levels of access, and flexibility of space is critical. A school as a gathering space helps build community around the school and the students. This provides opportunities for students to connect to community leaders, see leadership in action, and feel part of the larger community.
Technology – Future proofing the school is critical as the tools available are changing at a rapid pace. Integrating current technologies into the design while providing for future upgrades allows the school to stay on the cutting edge of educational opportunities. Smart boards, flexible spaces, and diversity of spaces are critical to provide a platform for students to learn into the future.
Flexibility in spaces – classrooms need to be flexible to accommodate the variety of strategies for teaching. Rooms that can expand or connect to other spaces provides abilities to team teach and blend age groups. The classroom must allow for expansion, but also feel comfortable for a small group. Classrooms must exist inside and outside the building. The building should be a classroom itself as a whole.
Student-centered design – modern schools have to accommodate a variety of learning conditions. The days of sitting in desks and passively listening to a lecture no longer apply. Students learn by doings, working in groups, and working solo. They work in the classroom, outside in nature, and in large gathering spaces. The school needs to have a variety of learning environments. From classroom to kitchen, students need to have a wide variety of experiential learning environments.
Sustainability – there is no question in my mind that we can build better buildings. This is a primary concern in educational facilities. It is a given that all new buildings should be energy-efficient for the amount of money needed to operate and to reduce the environmental impacts. However, it should not stop there. Indoor-air-quality, durability, and alternative energy sources have to be part of every elementary school.
Buildings that enhance learning – The spaces created for learning can be made comfortable in order to allow students to better focus. They should also enhance learning through connections to nature, science, technology, and math. Colors, textures, sound, and light all play into the way the building will perform and students will thrive. Lessons about how the building itself works can be highlighted to open up imagination and understanding of the built environment.
Safety – A school should not look like a fortress, but should be a fortress. Creating spaces that are safe for the users is critical.
Making experiences – creating work spaces that can be used for students to explore their inner maker is the future of education. Students want and need spaces that can get dirty so they can fully explore educational opportunities. Durable and slip resistant flooring allows for spaces to get wet, dripped on, beat on, and will still be safe. Open cabinets allow for better organization and identification of what is available. A variety of work spaces allow for team work and individual exploration.
Future Skills based on classic knowledge – we cannot abandon our lessons from the past – classrooms still need to be quiet, comfortable, and organized. There needs to be bookshelves and backpack storage.
Connection to nature – Perhaps the most important design element for elementary school students is a connection to nature. Students need to be able to see trees, birds, and the sky. They need access to be outside, to experience the seasons, and to get wet, hot, cold. They need to be active, run, skip, build forts, and create stores. The need to play and the building and surrounding site can enhance these experiences.
If you are thinking about building a custom energy-efficient home, where do you start?
Climate Considerations
Many will first go to the internet (thanks for reading my blog) to get their information. This is a great place to gather lots of opinions, but be sure you are looking at opinions based on your specific climate. Here in Virginia, we are in a mixed humid climate. Your climate impacts many decisions and solutions that are viable for the creation of a custom energy-efficient home.
Know Your Builder
Outside the building science decisions, there are other factors that will impact your success in achieving energy efficiency in a custom home. Probably the largest is knowing what is possible / typical by builders in the area. While all builders are able to use any method of construction (sticks, concrete, SIPS…) it is not wise to have a builder learn a new system on your project. In our area, there are drastic differences in the various builders. However, some systems are not used at all here, which leads to uncertainty, more time required, and higher prices. Knowing these skills will benefit the end quality of your home, as well as the final costs.
Product Availability
Product availability is another major force that can impact the success of your project. Knowing and selecting what building supply companies stock vs. special order will save you money. It also gives you the opportunity to find information about the products you want to use. All building supply companies know the products they stock and can offer feedback based on past projects. This expertise will help you avoid mistakes that have been made in the past.
Pick the Right Team
Building a new home is complicated. Building a custom home that is specific to your needs requires careful design and many conversations that will not be found in a magazine or by designing it yourself. Adding the goal of energy-efficiency brings a challenge that can only be achieved with the right team in place. Be sure your team understands your goals, building science, and the local level of product availability and skills available. Here are some other resources that might be useful:
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is the “miles per gallon” of your commercial building. You simply divide the total energy consumed by the building in one year (measured in kBtu) by the total gross floor area of the building. The lower the EUI the more energy-efficient the building. The EPA has developed a database of average scores per building type. For instance an average grocery store has a site EUI of 228 while an average school site EUI is 58.
Read more from our Green Term Defined series here:
This past week our On The Road Collaborative student group had the opportunity to tour a sustainable farm house under construction. Eric Beck, Beck Builders, was our tour guide and helped the students understand the career of a builder.
The students had lots of questions and the tour gave them a good idea of how big their rooms should be in the houses that they are designing. They had a chance to see cellulose insulation, precast concrete walls, and drywall dust. They experienced the cold and muddy conditions that he faces all winter. They got to see a partially complete house and use imagination to guess what it will look like finished.
There were questions about plumbing rough-ins, porch railings, and electrical distribution. They wondered about door placements and kitchen layout. They are becoming designers.
While the snow was falling and our tour was shorter than I hoped, the students learned a lot and all seemed to have a great time.
About “Design This”
“Design This”, led by Charles Hendricks and Deborah Smith with The Gaines Group, is an interactive course with On the Road Collaborative that introduces students to the world of architectural design. Using a 3-D software program called Sketch-Up each student will design a sustainable farmhouse for a family of 4. This class introduces spatial design, mathematics, programming, aesthetics, sustainability, and architecture in a fun and creative fashion. In the class each student will be introduced to typical construction terminology like wood studs, concrete, insulation, HVAC, flooring, shingles, siding, and foundations. They will have to decide how complicated and creative their homes will be as they work through the design. From the site tour of a house under construction to guest speakers talking about their role in the world of construction, this session will provide a glimpse into the wide array of career opportunities that exist. If you are interested in design or construction, this course will give you a first hand look into the exciting profession.
