High Performing Buildings - Winter 2013 - (Page 46)

Opsis Architects Right The accessible path from the main school building to the new Music and Science Building is lined with planting done by students. Planters were created out of hollowed-out tree sections that were salvaged from trees removed for construction. using native water-loving sedges, grasses and shrubs. Economics The project participated in the nonprofit/utility industry supported Energy Trust of Oregon Path to Net-Zero Pilot Project that aims to refine design strategies to achieve net zero onsite building energy use. The nonprofit provided $15,000 in incentives for energy efficiency measures and $45,000 in renewable energy incentives. The added cost to achieve net zero energy use after incentives was $130,640, resulting in a 19.9 year simple payback. If incentives were not available, the payback would have been 43.4 years, less than the average life of a school building in the United States. This calculation, however, does not account for the escalation of energy costs over the next 43 years, which would reduce the effective payback to closer to 20 years without incentives. Even with the benefit of the short payback period, the school board 46 had to carefully weigh the allocation of its limited resources for the renewable energy systems against other capital needs. In the end, the board decided that the strong link between the net zero strategies and the teaching curriculum, combined with the building serving as a district-wide learning resource, justified the project’s expense. Conclusion One important aspect of sustainability and permaculture is that an individual’s actions need to serve as a source of improvement for the systems and cycles with which we interact. A net zero energy building offers a living laboratory where students and teachers can better understand and teach the complex interrelationships between society and natural systems. Students are tapping into the many opportunities the facility affords and taking ownership of its systems in their classrooms by tracking and analyzing energy use, and by building things such as gardens, “biological filtration” systems and cob ovens for future generations of students to use. Winter 2013 The Hood River Middle School Music and Science Building serves as proof that a net zero energy facility can be created on a conventional budget with an excellent return on investment and provide a relevant educational platform for sustainability education. The design team reduced resource use in as many ways as possible and built in a transparency that allows the building users to understand and interact with the building’s sustainable features. Hood River Middle School views the interface between the building and its environmental and cultural landscape as an important part of the curriculum. By serving the needs of the community, the building improves all three aspects of the triple bottom line — environmental, economic and social. • About thE Authors Chris Brown, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is an associate and sustainable design lead at Opsis Architecture in Portland, Ore. Andy Frichtl, P Associate Member .E., ASHRAE, LEED AP is a principal and , senior mechanical engineer at Interface Engineering in Portland, Ore. HigH Performing Buildings Opsis Architects Above Students enjoy the fruits of their labor in the garden next to the new building.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of High Performing Buildings - Winter 2013

High Performing Buildings - Winter 2013
Commentary
Contents
Kensington High School for the Creative and Performing Arts
Mercy Corps World Headquarters
Hood River Middle School Music and Science Building
UC Davis Health and Wellness Center
Gateway West Sustainable I
Technologies on Display
Advertisers Index

High Performing Buildings - Winter 2013