the
concept, design, and construction phases of new K-12 school
projects in California impact students, teachers, parents, and the
community for various reasons. For children and teachers, their
daily comfort and performance is affected by the classrooms,
hallways, gymnasiums, and auditoriums where they interact from four
to eight hours each day.
For school administrators, parents, and residential taxpayers, the
decisions made by school boards and design teams create long-term
financial obligations. Their decisions influence the construction
dollars required, the operating and maintenance budget needed, and
the learning environment provided for each new school.
Consequently, student performance and attendance, teacher and
administrator satisfaction and retention, the overall health of
students and school personnel, the checkbooks of parents, and the
taxes paid by school district residents are affected. The impact
may be felt for many years, since the useful life of a school
campus is typically 30 to 50 years.
More than ever figure, school districts, utilitieis, and the state
of California are working with design teams to build quality
learning environments that are energy-efficient and cost-effective.
This case study describes the Isla Vista Elementary School, which
is innovative in design while keeping energy costs low for the
Goleta (Calif.) Union School District.
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