Brian Dunbar's keynote from Plain Green 2009 on "Green Buildings That Teach." A fan favorite. Plain Green Conference and Marketplace is advancing sustainability in the northern plains. Learn more at http://plaingreen.org.

1. Green
Buildings
That Teach
Brian Dunbar, Exec. Director
Institute for the Built Environment
Colorado State University

2. The biggest issue in green building infusion isn’t cost….
it’s education
One thing you have experienced or have heard about
green buildings?

3. What can we convey through our buildings?

4. Buildings contribute . . .
• Construction and remodeling
waste comprises 40% of landfill
waste
• 48% of energy generated is
used by buildings + over 30% of
carbon emissions
• 66% of electricity is used by
buildings + 1/6th of electricity
generated is for building cooling
• Sick Building Syndrome leads to
poor occupant health and loss of
productivity

5. Sick Building Syndrome…
…from unhealthy
schools can cause
asthma, skin and
eye irritation, cold
symptoms, fatigue,
and headaches in
both students and
teachers.
Causes:
•Inadequate ventilation •Chemical Contaminates from Indoor Sources
•Biological contaminants •Chemical contaminants from outdoor sources
Sources:EPA, Indoor Air Quality and Student
Performance, YRG Sustainability Consultants

6. Sidwell Middle Banner Bank
Boise, ID
Average School - Wash DC
Savings
of Green
Buildings WASTE
COST
WATER
SAVINGS
USE
CARBON 50-90%
SAVINGS
60% less
SAVINGS 30-50%
energy demand 35%
ENERGY
SAVINGS
30%
Toyota Campus
Torrance, CA
65% less 95% of
electricity Boulder Associates construction
Source: Test 43% less water use waste diverted
Capital E

7. Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Collins, CO
Photos courtesy of David Paterson
High-performance, sustainable built environments…

8. Environmental & Economic Benefits
•Energy efficiency
•Water savings
•High performance lighting
•Improved indoor air quality
•Emissions reductions
Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Collins, CO
•Temperature control
•Reduced Construction Waste
•Lower operations and
maintenance costs
Kinard Junior High School, Fort Collins, CO

9. Human Benefits
•Student and faculty health
•Teacher attraction/retention
•Increased student performance
•Better focus
•Enrichment of learning
Bacon Elementary, Fort Collins, CO
•Integration of sustainable
curriculum
•Increased productivity
•Connection to nature
Islandwood School, WA

10. Green Schools impact the Community…
…and increase
awareness about green building

11. Green Schools Connect to Nature…
humans spend
90% of their time indoors
isolated from nature…
In the U.S., children ages 6-11
spend about
30 hours
per week looking at a TV or computer
…improving the learning environment

12. “Our goal is to foster competent, responsible, and independent citizens who
love learning and respect themselves, other people and their environment.”
Compass Montessori School, Golden, CO
=
using nature as a model connection
for design to nature

13. Islandwood School, Bainbridge Island, WA
This earth friendly school in Washington nurtures and teaches children through the
connection to nature (www.islandwood.org).

14. Source: USGBC,

15. Which
classroom…
Freedom Elementary, Colorado Springs, CO
Centennial R-1 School District, San Luis, CO,
Photo Courtesy of Great Education Colorado
…would you
rather learn in?

17. All LEED Rating Systems use:
Guidelines addressing
6 primary areas:
Sustainable Sites
Water Efficiency
Energy and Atmosphere
Materials and Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
Innovation and Design Process

18. LEED for Schools
The LEED for Schools Rating System
adds the following unique issues
related to schools:
Classroom Acoustics
Daylight and Views
Mold Prevention
Environmental Site Assessment
To find out more about LEED for Schools, visit the following USGBC
website:

19. Case Studies
Bacon Elementary, Fort Collins, CO
Features:
• Efficient irrigation & xeriscaping saves over $7,000
per year
• 100% Energy use offset by green power
• Over 85% of construction waste diverted from landfill
• “Truth walls” reveal building materials used as an
educational tool
Harris Bilingual Elementary, Fort Collins, CO
Features:
• The play area is Synthetic turf made of recycled tires,
providing innovative water management.
• National Energy Star Schools award
• Lots of Daylighting
• Low VOC paints and finishes
Source: CSU Institute for the Built Environment
For links to more green school case studies:
http://www.usgbccolorado.org/green-buildings/summitresources.html

20. Case Studies
Telluride Mountain School, Telluride, CO
Features:
• Playground is on a “living” roof
• School building tucked into hillside
• Very affordable- Cost: 1.5 M, $94 per sq. ft.
• Interior walls are capped with windows to bring
daylighting deeper into the building
Greybull Elementary School, Greybull, WY
Features:
• Built on old baseball fields that were relocated
• $15,000 in gas savings in 6 months (compared to old school)
• Natural ventilation and skylights
• Over 90% of the spaces have visual connection to the outdoors
•1st LEED certified school in Wyoming
Source: CSU Institute for the Built Environment
For links to more green school case studies:
http://www.usgbccolorado.org/green-buildings/summitresources.html

21. Kinard Junior High School “With the improvements
Fort Collins, CO in building envelope, use
of daylighting, and the
geo exchange system, this
building is the most efficient
school in our district, even
exceeding Fossil Ridge High
School.”
-Stu Reeve, Energy Manager
Owner: Poudre School District
School Capacity: 750 students
Completion Date: Aug 2006
Const. Cost: $14 M
Overall Cost: $21 M
Size: 113,000 sq ft
Annual Energy Use: 25 kBtu/sf/yr

22. Kinard Junior High School Energy and Atmosphere
Fort Collins, CO  HVAC: Geo Exchange System
(100 wells,300’ deep)
provides heat / cooling. Heat
recovery of exhaust air.
 Renewable Energy: Electricity
use off-set with an on-site PV
system and Green Power
contract with local utility
 Energy Use: Exceeds ASHRAE
90.1 by 50%; uses $40,000
less energy than most recent
district junior high
 Controls/Monitors: Building
Energy Management System
+ each classroom has
individual controls
 Lighting: No electric light
used in many classrooms and
common areas during
daylight

23. Harris Bilingual Elementary Fort Collins, CO
Owner: Poudre School District
Constructed: 1919
The mission of HBIS promotes Spanish Completion date: 2002
and English language competencies, Capacity: 320 students, 43 staff
Total size: 39,260 sf
academic achievement, high self-esteem Addition: 21,525 sf
and positive cross-cultural attitudes Renovation: 17,735 sf
Annual Energy Use: 40.4 kBtu/sf/yr

24. Harris Bilingual Elementary
Fort Collins, CO
Energy &
Atmosphere
• Recognized with a
national Energy Star
Schools award
• One of the oldest
schools in the district,
Harris has achieved the
best energy rating in the
46 school system
• Automated building and
HVAC controls
• Energy efficient windows
blend with historic
architecture
Photograph by John Evans

25. Bacon Elementary “It is our philosophy
at PSD to build
Fort Collins, CO
green. We believe
the earth is worth
preserving and
teaching kids about
it is fundamental.”
Tammie Simpson
Construction Project Manager, PSD
Owner: Poudre School District
School Capacity: 525 students
Completion Date: Fall 2003
Cost: $6.3 M
Size: 65,300 sq ft
Annual Energy: 45 kBtu/sf/yr
Photograph by Paul J. Brokering

26. Bacon Elementary
Fort Collins, CO
“Bacon Elementary is
a building that
teaches. Real time
energy use is
displayed as well as
exposed structural
and mechanical
systems. An array of
building products
made from recycled
materials are used
throughout the
building.”
George Brelig
RB+B Architects

27. Bacon Elementary Energy and Atmosphere
Fort Collins, CO
•Cooling system makes ice at
night when energy costs are 60%
lower
•HVAC: Small, 97% efficiency
boiler unit
•Photocells monitor amount of
light needed from interior
fixtures
•Booster heater at dishwasher
reduces hot water system load
•100% of electricity use is offset
through green power
“We raise the bar for construction
and design with every school we
build or remodel. Our new
elementary schools are scoring in
the 80’s (on a scale of one to 100)
on the EPA Energy Star bench
marking system.”
Stu Reeve, Energy Manager PSD
Photograph by Tammie Simpson

28. Bacon Elementary
Fort Collins, CO
Materials & Resources
• Recycled content materials
throughout
• Rapidly renewable materials
are attractive and educational
• Over 85% of construction
waste diverted from landfill
A school building that teaches
“Truth wall” Photograph by Tammie Simpson

29. Student sketch of School Mech Systems

30. “The skylights help us work
better than when we were “High
locked up.” performanc
e buildings
What students & Samantha Stewart, 5 grader
Greybull Elementary
th
are
teachers at green achievable
schools say… “The natural light certainly and they
lends itself to a calmer sense don’t have
for our kids.” to cost
Bill Smith, Principal more.”
Bacon Elementary
“It’s such a nice, clean place Thomas Fernandez,
District 11 Energy
to come to work. There’s so Manager
much light and fresh air. “I can see myself paddling
Kids like to be here.” down the hallway in my
Paula Heuschkel, kayak.”
Kindergarten teacher
Teacher, unknown
Greybull Elementary
Telluride Mountain School
For links to more green school articles and videos:
http://www.buildgreenschools.org/resources/

31. Daybreak Elementary
“The nationally recognized South Jordan, UT
development combines
Bungalow style housing,
parks, hiking trails, natural
open space , green
elementary schools, a
community center and
garden. Daybreak has two
light rail stops for public
transport to Salt Lake and
surrounding areas.”
Barbara Breen, Kennecott Land
Owner: Kennecott Land,
Jordan School District
School Capacity: 855 students
Completion Date: August 2006
Const. Cost: $122/sf
Size: 117,574 sq.ft.

32. Daybreak Elementary Sustainable Sites
South Jordan, UT Joint use of school and
community center spaces
conserves materials, open
space, energy, and
development footprint
Trees positioned to shade
building
Water Efficiency
Saves 22% of indoor water
usage by using low flow
plumbing fixtures
High efficiency irrigation
technology and native,
drought tolerant
landscaping uses 50% less
site water
Water detention system
slows storm water run off

33. Daybreak Elementary
Energy & Atmosphere South Jordan, UT
Heating & Cooling:
Geothermal heating and cooling +
energy recovery lower energy costs
Architectural shading devices
incorporated in building exterior
Facility Manager constantly
monitors energy efficiency in order
to improve energy star rating
Lighting & Electricity:
Efficient florescent light fixtures
decrease energy
Motion detectors in bathrooms
1.04 kw /sf per month, total elec.
Thermal Mass:
Exterior walls made from split face
CMU
Corrugated aluminum composite
panels over framing and insulation

34. “Daybreak is consistently the most
energy-efficient of our 89 schools.”
Barry Newbold Superintendent
South Jordan School District
Project Team
Architect: Brixen & Christopher Architects
Struct. Eng: Bsumek Mu and Associates
Mech. & Civil Eng: Heath Engineering
Elect Eng: BNA
Landscape Arch: Landmark Design
Contractor: Bud Mahas Construction, Inc
Commissioning: Synergy
For more information on Green Schools & LEED:
USGBC-Colorado Chapter www.usgbccolorado.org
Case Study sponsored by USGBC Colorado Chapter
Photographs courtesy of Kennecott Land, Brixen Case Study by Kristi Barnes, Joy Wagner & Brian Dunbar
& Christopher Architects, and Brian Dunbar CSU Institute for the Built Environment

35. Pine Jog Elementary School & The School as a Teaching Tool
Environmental Education Center Partnership:
West Palm, Florida • Palm Beach County Schools,
Pine Jog Environmental Center
& Florida Atlantic University
Partnership benefits:
• 150 acre Pine Jog Nature
Preserve provides ongoing
environmental stewardship
• The two facilities include
interactive, site-oriented
learning activities
Elementary School:
K – 5th grade
960 students
140,000 sf
Environ. Education Center:
15,000 sf w/1 wet lab
LEED Registered – seeking Gold

36. Pine Jog Elementary School &
Environmental Education Center
West Palm, Florida
Learning Opportunities:
•Solar Water Heating Panels
•Photovoltaic System
•Rainwater collection
demonstration areas
•Hand Pumped Wells
•Butterfly Gardens
•Performance measurements
•Interactive Sundial
The School as a Teaching Tool

37. Learning Opportunities: Pine Jog Elementary School &
Environmental Education Center
Butterfly Gardens West Palm, Florida
• A garden for each grade
• Variety of caterpillars &
butterflies attracted to plant
mix
• Students learn to propagate
native apt plants
Monitoring devices
• Grade levels measure:
•Electricity
•Water use
•Recycling
•Solar gain
•Transportation miles
Green lunches
• Low waste & water use
• Making recycling easy The School as a Teaching Tool
• Low kitchen energy use All images by Zyskovich, Inc.
• High % of locally produced Case Study by Kristi Barnes & Brian Dunbar
food CSU Institute for the Built Environment

38. LEED Innovation in Design
ID Credit 1: Green Education
Photo: Rachel Gutter

39. Photo: www.greentouchscreen.com

40. LEED Gold 2004 Happy Feet Plus
Clearwater, Florida
The First LEED Certified Retail Store in the World
Sustainable Sites
•Parking lot – storm
water absorption &
lowers heat island effect
•Restored wetlands
“We don’t sell typical shoes.
We don’t have a typical store.” Dragonfly motif
Jacob Wurtz
Project Team:
Owners: Jacob Wurtz & Jane Srong
Architect: Frank Fraze of Northstar Design and Construction
Builder: First Florida Contracting Services, Inc.
LEED AP: Dave Piggot of First Florida Contracting Services, Inc.
Envir. Cons. Ken Benway Shell & pervious concrete

41. “The new “green” store
embodies our business Happy Feet Plus
philosophy of respect for Clearwater, Florida
people, employee empowerment, LEED Gold 2004
and environmental
sustainability.” Jacob Wurtz
Indoor Environmental Quality
•Low-Emitting finished materials
•Exemplary daylighting & views
Natural light / views
Innovation & Design Process
•Awarded all 5 points
•Sustainable education
Green building educational posters
•Over 40% materials w/in 500 miles Photography by Kristi Barnes

42. A Sustainable Future…
“We have lived by the
assumption that what was
good for us will be good for
the world. What is good for
the world will be good for us.
We must:
– make the effort to know the
world and to learn what is good
for it.
– abandon arrogance and stand
in awe.
– recover the sense of the
majesty of the creation, it is only
on the condition of humility and
reverence before the world that
our species will be able to
remain in it.” Wendell Berry

43. With Green, Living Buildings –
that Teach

44. For the Benefit of:
The Planet
And All of its Species
For Generations to Come

45. Green Buildings that Teach:
Enrich and Sustain
the Planet with
your projects
Sustainability & …Regeneration
Green Schools Initiative Brian Dunbar
www.usgbccolorado.org Institute for the Built Environment