Grant Elementary uses solar energy to power modern one-room schoolhouse
Grant Elementary schoolchildren in Columbia, Missouri are getting a wonderful opportunity to learn about sustainability. After a tragic fire destroyed a trailer that served as a classroom, the community came together to build a new schoolhouse using environmentally-friendly materials and an energy efficient design, including a solar panel system installed by The Energy Savings Store.
Nick Peckham, of Peckham and Wright Architects, had been looking to give something back to the community to celebrate 30 years of service in the industry. When he heard about the fire and the predicament that the school district faced, he offered his experience and knowledge about sustainability to design a traditional one-room schoolhouse using today's green building standards. He also rallied local businesses to donate most of the materials and labor to build the $250,000 facility, since the insurance proceeds on the largely-depreciated trailer only amounted to $30,000.
The building was certified as LEED Platinum by the US Green Building Council. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, provides guidelines and metrics for building sustainable structures. Points are awarded for the sustainability of the site; efficient use of water and energy, quality of the environment; the use of locally-obtained, environmentally-friendly materials; and innovation in the design.
The schoolhouse is built with structural insulated panels to create a very tight building envelope, minimizing the energy required to heat and cool the building. The panels were manufactured in a high tech Missouri factory, which scored points both for energy efficiency and using local materials in the construction. A bamboo floor was originally considered, because bamboo is considered a sustainable wood, but a corn-based flooring product was chosen instead to leverage the use of local resources. Nearly 97 percent of the construction waste was recycled rather than being trucked to a landfill, and stormwater runoff from the roof is captured in rain barrels, which is then used to water the landscape of native Missouri plants.
Natural daylight is harvested using reflective solar "sun tunnels" in the ceiling, and the lighting is supplemented with high-efficiency florescent lighting fixtures, each of which can be independently controlled to use only what is needed. All of these efficiencies result in a minimal electric requirement, and thus satisfied almost entirely by the ten solar photovoltaic panels on the roof. The system is tied to the grid, so at night or on dark, cloudy days electricity can be pulled off the grid like the rest of the buildings. However, on most days, the 2.2kW system produces enough energy to supply all of the building's electricity. Any excess electricity flows back onto the grid for use by other school buildings.
The Eco Schoolhouse provides a unique learning experience for children, and serves as an excellent model for other schools. The dramatic and moving story served as the basis for a documentary movie, which was first aired last fall at the US Green Building Council's annual convention. We can all hope this story will inspire both students and educators alike to adopt a new approach to sustainability!
