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 Ohio Schools can Learn from Kentucky Study
Cost Effective Energy Efficient School Design – VERSION 2-Applied research
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Louisville
Significant effort has been focused on the sustainable and energy efficient design of school buildings over the past few years. This effort has culminated in a number of design guidelines such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Schools-New Construction and Major Renovations, and the Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools Design Guidelines.
These design provisions go a long way in providing guidance to design professionals and school officials on what areas in the facility design might be addressed to improve the performance of the facility. However, there appears to be a reluctance to embrace these “Green” or “Energy Efficient” designs, partially due to the perception that these designs will cost a lot more than traditional systems. For instance, we typically build schools with concrete and brick masonry walls. This is done since the masonry is relatively low cost, durable and easy to maintain. Recent developments in energy efficient school design has been moving schools to the use of higher first cost building systems that may have higher maintenance costs and are being questioned relative to their fire resistance and indoor environmental impact.
The goal of this project will be to use the design guidelines discussed above and develop a list of low life cycle cost systems (both first cost and maintenance costs) that can be used to meet, at least in part, the energy efficiency and sustainability goals of the State of Kentucky. Specially, the study will focus on evaluating building envelope systems, day-lighting, and heating and cooling system configurations that have, or could be, incorporated into school designs. For each system, a sample design will be developed and used to compile a construction cost estimate. Each of the systems will be incorporated into a typical prototype elementary, middle and high school configuration and the effects each system has on the overall energy used over the life cycle of the building will be determined using an analysis program such as DOE2. The maintenance costs of each system will also be estimated over the life of the facility. This data will be used to develop a relationship between each of the systems described above, their life cycle costs and the effect each has on energy use. Optimization for each system design will be performed in an effort to minimize lifecycle costs with as little reduction in energy efficiency as possible. It is postulated that the use of conventional materials and construction practices will likely reduce construction costs and these modifications will be attempted where feasible.
The effort above will result in a matrix of sample building system designs that can be reviewed by designers and school officials to quickly assess which systems might be implemented to reduce energy use, at the least cost. The investigation will include energy and economic analyses of prototype elementary, middle and high school buildings to determine the effects of the systems described above, as well as the effect of:
- Increased design life – The investigation will evaluate how life-cycle costs are changed by increasing the design life of the schools and what is the most cost effective design life for a school.
- Day-lighting on envelop/building performance and cost. The investigation will look at optimizing the costs of day-lighting systems while maintaining the effectiveness of this lighting source and the building energy performance.
During the investigation educational modules will also be developed for incorporating building energy efficiency and other cutting edge systems into the continuing education offerings for design professionals.
Increasing the sustainability and energy efficiency of public buildings is a mandate for the State of Kentucky under the auspices of House Bill 2. Although schools are currently exempt, in part due the increase in the cost of these systems, finding cost effective ways to make these structures more energy efficient and sustainable is critical for the long term quality of life in Kentucky. It is expected that if this project is successful there will be an increase in the likelihood of energy efficient/sustainable school design being implemented, with reduced life-cycle costs for school construction in the state of Kentucky.
Dr. W. Mark McGinley, PE
Professor and Endowed Chair for Infrastructure Research
Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky 40292
Office : 502-852-4068
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