EMES PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND DECREASING CARBON FOOTPRINT Fall Signpost Article

                        

EMES PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND DECREASING CARBON FOOTPRINT

Kids are back to school, and the renovation project continues on time and within budget.  A big thank you to Wright and Morrissey’s Inc., TruexCullins Architects, Alicia Lyford our project manager, Bill Ford our clerk of the works and our school staff for doing an amazing job of getting school ready on time.

            Right in step with the focus of this issue, the renovation project includes many energy conservation upgrades. Examples include:

·        The building walls will get 4" of foil-faced foam on the inside - a 4-fold improvement over most of what is existing.

·    Windows will be new triple-glazed R-5 windows, another 4-fold improvement.

·    Air leakage will be reduced significantly.

·    Each classroom will have its own energy-recovery ventilator, which will automatically adjust the airflow to the number of occupants, saving energy while maintaining optimum air quality.  The old system, common in schools, over-ventilates, causing excessive (and sometimes severe) dryness in the winter.  The higher moisture levels are healthier and more comfortable.

·    New controls for the building will allow central monitoring and control as well as remote check-in on systems to help systems stay in top operating condition.

·    The lower heat load combined with the new controls will allow the wood chip boiler to make a higher percentage of the heat and hot water, so we use less oil, saving money and carbon dioxide emissions.

·    New lighting will be two-level to allow adjustment of light levels for the best learning environment and to save energy.  Lights near the windows can be turned off separately from other lights, and occupancy sensors (required by code now) will turn off the lights if you forget to when you leave the room.

The renovated building -- including the addition -- will have a lower heat load than the school had before, even though space is being added. 

Andy Shapiro will be on site periodically, keeping an eye on all this during construction, to help insure all our energy upgrades are properly implemented.  Please feel free to contact him with any questions or comments about the energy features of the building, at 229-5676.  He's happy to share more detail for those interested.

Please visit the Facilities blog  http://emesfacilities.blogspot.com/ and if you have any questions about the project please email Alicia Lyford alyford@u32.org or Flor Diaz Smith  diazsmith.flor@gmail.com