Sidwell School: 70% Less Water, 60% Less Energy
by Justin Thomas, Virginia 
on 07. 9.07
I braved the midday heat of Washington DC yesterday, to circumnavigate and photograph the Sidwell Friends School, a private middle school. This building was awarded the coveted Platinum LEED by the Green Building Council, and it was one of the American Institute of Architect's Top Ten Green Project for 2007. Impressively, this school uses 70% less water and 60% less energy that a comparable building. I noted the use of many green roof elements, and many greywater recycling ponds. Inside, daylight use is extensive. Photosensors automatically dim or shut off the electric lights when daylight is sufficient, and occupancy sensors ensure that lights are shut off when rooms are unoccupied. More details and photos over the fold...
The design optimizes daylight and minimizes solar glare on each building exposure. On the south façade, horizontal solar light shelves both screen out the sun and welcome daylight. On the east and west façades, vertical solar shading screens are angled appropriately against the east and west glare.
A courtyard wetland with a closed-loop cycle allows for water reuse. The wetland takes the form of terraced rice paddies along the site’s natural topography. Rainwater is held and filtered through a vegetated roof on the new wing and channeled down the courtyard side into a collection stream that runs under the building’s entry bridge and drains into a biology pond. The pond supports native habitat and micro-organisms that will decompose wastewater as it moves through the functional wetland.
Virtually every material in the building is either reclaimed or recycled. The cladding of the building is 100-year-old western red cedar reclaimed from wine barrels. Material for the walkways, inside lobby, and decks is green lumber pilings reclaimed from the Baltimore Harbor. There is extensive use of linoleum, cork, and reclaimed stone.
Actively, photovoltaic roof panels provide much of the building’s electricity. Passively, two solar chimneys on the new wing offer natural ventilation. “The solar chimneys and the shafts interconnect to the lower levels, which is made apparent by little port holes in the shafts.
A vegetable-garden rooftop on the new wing serves as an insulator and is part of the water recycling system. The green roof is also a food garden, managed by the students and teachers.
See also LEED Platinum: Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Headquarters
Via: AIA
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Schools are the optimum setting for this stuff, because they have limited, supervised use and trained staff. I worry about a green roof on my building because we don't have a full-time superintendant, and the one we have wouldn't understand the dynamics, and the roof would probably spring a leak and we'd get mold.
But school maintenance people are trained, unionized, and often very long-term. Also, school personell have more of a sense of civic purpose (we hope.)
Wow, that middle school looks awesome. Who says green can't look good? Too bad my middle school didn't look like that.
Too bad that green schools, are generally usually private schools. I hate that.
Its great for awareness that they have schools like this, Teaching young people about sustainable design, architecture and landscaping helps kids become more aware and hopefully interested in these topics.
And the school looks AWESOME!! what a great place to learn.
The good and bad news here is that many US Senate and House members along with ambassadors etc. send there children to Sidwell. The bad news: this building is most likely out of the price range of almost any other school in the nation; the good news: these children's parents are influential, so a good experience with green building..., and many of these children will themselves be running things in 20 years.
Just out of curiousity how much does a school like this cost anyway? It looks awesome and you would have to wonder if at least some of the elements could trickle down to regular schools.
During high demand in the afternoon you must cut energy consumption
The most crucial time to conserve energy, especially during the peak demand period between 1pm and 6pm. But utility companies think conservation is always smart.
There are a ton of ways to save energy and ease the pressure on the electric grid without spending a dime.
For every degree you turn your thermostat up from 78 degrees, you should cut your energy consumption by about five percent. Fans will help you feel more comfortable.
Drawing your shades or blinds will help you keep cool air in and hot air out.
Insulate the attic, install attic fan.
Shade outside windows on Western and southern exposure.
Replace lighting to CFL or LED.
Hold off on running the washing machine and the dishwasher until after sundown.
Change your furnace filters regularly and switch to compact florescent lights.
Planting shade trees around your house will save you money in a few years.
But here's something you can do tonight. Fire up the barbecue and cook your meal outside instead of heating up your house using the stove or the oven.
Here's one more power saving tip: All those cell phones, iPods, digital cameras and power tools-- Unplug them when they're finished charging. So called phantom power to those gadgets -- and to your computer, your tv, and your dvd player -- can suck up as much as ten percent of your home energy use.
"It's good for our wallets and it's good for our environment and in the long run, on days, multiple days of heat like this, it's good for our flow of electricity as well."
Compiled by: Jay Draiman