Sussex School

Adapt Design+Build worked with Gaddy/Ayers Construction at Sussex School to air seal their new buildings. We also provided blower door testing and diagnostics to determine the effectiveness of the building enevelope. Both buildings were between .5 and .6 ACH (air changes per hour)! Many existing buildings far exceed 7 or 8 air changes per hour resulting in huge energy losses.

Here is an example of part of the curriculum that Adapt Design+Build wrote for Sussex School to help them attain LEED certivication!

Grade

 7

• Sussex School made a conscious decision to incorporate low-emission products in the new buildings to protect indoor air quality.  Several credits are applied under the headings of paint and coating, sealants and adhesives, carpet, composite wood and agrifiber products.  Products that the school used include: Cement to glue plumbing pipes, tile adhesives and grout, low VOC paint, low-emitting carpet, zero VOC carpet adhesive, composite wood products free from urea-formaldehyde.

• Sussex School will receive LEED credit for outside air ventilation 30% greater than the building code requirement. Ventilation is achieved by way of an HRV (heat recovery ventilator) Air to Air Heat Recovery Ventilator that accesses the common areas (hallway, bathrooms, and kitchen.) The classrooms are naturally ventilated with operable windows.

• Sussex School was able to source many building products at the local and regional levels. Using local and regional products helps stimulate economic growth and reduces the amount of energy needed to transport products.  Elements of the building that were sourced locally and regionally include: 2x4s extracted from Idaho forests, Larch Trim, Drywall came from a manufacturer in Wyoming, , structural insulated panels for the walls and roof  are manufactured in Belgrade, Windows are  made from larch from Montana forests and are assembled in Missoula, Cellulose Insulation from Spokane. *Some of these products take advantage of recycled products and some of the recycled products that are looked at in grades 2 and 3.

School: 

The Seventh Grade will examine choices and human impact associated with the Sussex buildings.  What materials were used in the building? Why use low or VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) free products? What are VOC’s? What is off gassing and how is it harmful? Where do the materials that were used come from?  What is the benefit of buying local or regional products? How much energy was used in the transportation of products?  What is embodied energy?Monitor IAQ in the classrooms.  What are the factors that contribute to poor air quality?

Community: Students will address Air Quality in Missoula, Visit the PEAS farm and learn about local agriculture, Discuss what products we can buy and choices we can makethat support local business and lessen the need for goods being transported.

Nationally:  Students will address transportation and regional resources.  What do different regions in the United States produce? How can we work together as a nation tobecome more self reliant?  Why are healthy schools important? Look at other schools across the country that are sustainable. Where is air quality and issue in the United State?  Both indoor and out?

Globally: Many countries rely on each other for food, water, fuel—basic necessities.  How can counties become more independent? What resources are necessary import/export?  Look at foreign aid and developing nations.  What actions from foreign countries are helpful?  What actions only perpetuate problems?  Does poor air quality in other countries affect people in Missoula?  How and Why?

Applications/Resources/Ideas

Science:  IAQ monitoring: discuss factors.  Using a barometer monitor humidity in the classrooms.  What can too much humidity do to a building? How can you help regulate the humidity? Where does it come from?

Social Studies:  Discuss products that were purchased locally.  What impact does this have on our local economy? Look at economies around the world in relationship to trade regulations, imports and exports. Stanford University has an amazing program called Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme

Affordability.  This program looks at developing countries and tries to create solutions for problems that are inexpensive, sustainable, and often times cutting down on energy spent on transportation—emphasizing a local product or solution.  Students could research a country focusing on factors that involve sustainability to help create solutions. http://extreme.stanford.edu/

Math: Calculations involving air quality, low VOC products vs. high VOC products.  Connect with Ben Schmidt, Air Quality Specialist for Missoula City-County, 258-3369 to look at air quality in Missoula.  Calculate how different heat sources and industry in our valley contribute to air quality calculating ppm (parts per million)

Art: Work with Social Studies on product design and sustainable packaging (if necessary) or advertising techniques.

Physical Education:  Discuss health and human impact.  How does dirty air effect our health? How does pollution and green house gasses effect our recreational activities?

Language Arts:  Find stories from other countries that the students are learning about to help enhance the understanding of different cultures.  Look at children of the same age around the world and what a typical day is like for them?  What are the similarities? Differences?  Use this as a topic for a reflection paper. 

Sbw.cefpifoundation.org – School design curriculum

www.http://extreme.stanford.edu – link to the Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability

PEAS Farm 523-3663

Book: Growing a Garden City  by Jeremy N. Smith

Valley Drive Home

The first roof garden for the Valley Drive home. The sedum is a mix of plants that are grown for our climate and locally sourced.

Up close picture of some of the plants used in the sedum mix

This south facing roof is the future site for a solor hot water system and an amazing strawberry patch!

 

 Rattlesnake Home

 

The wood used on this porch is all reclaimed timbers from around MT. The posts and beams came from the cooling shed at the old Bonner Mill Site 1939-1940. The recessed post panels are from an Ice house on Missoula's North Side from the turn of the 20th century.

This is a south side porch addition. The timbers used are from the cooling shed at the old Bonner Mill site 1939-1940, the maintenace shop at the old Bonner Mill Site mid-1940's and the Champion Mill Site storage shed1950. The porch will act as a living roof allowing plants and vegetables to grow out of the reach of hungry deer.

This is a scupper detail from the porch. Once the living roof is in place this detail will help with drainage.