There are a lot of
benefits when looking at the end results of modernizations. The value of the enhancements provided makes "mods" a logical option in most cases. But it's also interesting to look at mods from the other side--the beginning. Namely, for me, this includes:
- Looking at a modernization from its starting point when deciding what types of improvements to proceed with, and ...
- Looking at an actual school from its very inception and providing a framework that will ease the inevitable future modernizations that will come ten or twenty years down the line.
Many times, a modernization is called upon due to physical necessity. A school has reached an age where many of its facilities are drastically non-compliant with current building code. Insufficient maintenance has left classroom buildings in a state of disrepair, and significant upgrades are needed just to maintain functionality. Building systems have reached the end of their life cycle and need to be replaced. The driving factors are all practical, and the budget is often limited. Given the circumstances, it's understandable to want to do the bare minimum to preserve the status quo, and very likely, this means discarding targets related to sustainability, because of their often comparatively higher up-front cost.
I look at the situation, however, and encourage long-term thinking. Installing more energy and resource-efficient systems saves on operations costs. Utilizing quality products and proper methods during construction saves on maintenance costs. Going beyond the minimum requirements to improve the standard of design yields countless intangible effects, such as improved learning comprehension, higher morale, and healthier occupants. The dollar savings can quickly add up over the years, and schools may find that going with more sustainable measures pays for itself well before it's time for the next modernization. That in itself is fiscally sustainable.
Furthermore, green modernization undertaken now may reduce the scale of modernization in the future. And while it's understandably difficult to consider all of this if the up-front budget simply isn't there, it's always commendable to at least try.
This ties to the second point. With the prevalence and popularity of the green movement these days, any new school will likely feature at least a "bare-minimum" standard of sustainable features. Efficient plumbing fixtures, low-volatile organic compound (VOC) finishes, and low-energy mechanical systems will probably be included because they're becoming mainstream. But there will always be newer and better versions of these products as the years pass, and today's green products will likely be considered as eco-unfriendly in the future as traditional products are now. Thus, new k-12 schools may want to consider implementing "advanced" technology to make later upgrades easier and less intensive.
For example, instead of isolated traditional AC systems among various buildings, it may be beneficial to install a central plant that can run cooling and ventilation in a campus loop that operates more effectively, is more economical to maintain, and allows more convenient expansion. Because a central plant is much more efficient than multiple dispersed units, additional capacity can be built in to accommodate future campus development. Another alternative system is green roofs, which may be a more complicated to install versus traditional roofs, but will improve building insulation (thus lowering energy costs) and significantly increase the life expectancy of a roof (thus decreasing roof replacement costs).
Installing photovoltaics will generate energy for the school, and depending on the scale, could make the school electrically self-sustaining. Of course, it would be nice to load a new school with all the latest and greatest of green building systems, but the people who will have to maintain and operate these schools often prefer what they've been used to for years, because they know how to take care of them. The key is to not be intimidated by unfamiliar systems. This requires educating the proper people on the realities of such systems and dispelling any myths that may be associated with them. From the client side, it also means putting aside any prejudices toward traditional technologies and taking open, accepting views toward new ones.
The whole point of sustainable design is using today's resources in a way that helps tomorrow thrive. Thus, the days of only looking at the current bottom line should be abandoned. It's always more helpful to look at the grander picture, and the only way for that to be effective is to do it from the start.
For a new technical designer in
K-12 schools, working on a modernization isn't exactly the most glamorous job. Having spent multiple years in school developing projects featuring fresh sites with unlimited possibilities, young designers often find it quite alien to work on "mods" and reconcile issues such as coordinating as-built drawings with actual construction, upgrading facilities to meet the latest code, and integrating new design into complicated existing structures. In contrast to the blank canvases of new construction, mods require careful survey of current conditions, even more stringent communication with the client to pinpoint desired improvements, and the patience to deal with the inevitable surprises that come from uncovering what has actually been built (or in some cases, not built!).
Besides, these are old and icky buildings that seem hopelessly outdated and unsalvageable--both from a design and building code standpoint-- wouldn't it be easier to just knock everything down and start anew? Save the headaches!
It's a tempting thought, and one I've certainly been guilty of entertaining on many instances, but ultimately, I cannot help but recognize that modernizations are often the most sustainable and economical ways to improve a client's facilities. They provide an excellent opportunity to upgrade existing building systems without requiring brand new infrastructure, and they can
revitalize a campus in the same way new construction can--without exhausting the same amount of resources or energy. They give existing buildings and sites the opportunity to become more environmentally friendly.
Take mechanical systems. All mechanical units have a limited shelf life, but many aging schools rely on decades-old technology that is inefficient and harmful to the atmosphere. Part of a mod's scope may involve installing units that do not emit chlorofluorocarbons and run off zoned systems that dynamically integrate with mixed ventilation within each room. These systems can monitor ambient conditions and run only when needed, instead of heating and cooling endlessly throughout the day, even when internal temperature is comfortable. Such an upgrade, though possibly more expensive up front compared to sticking with the same technology, will certainly provide significant
energy savings through the system's life cycle. Similarly, with plumbing, high-efficiency fixtures such as low-flo urinals and automatic faucets can drastically reduce water consumption. Campus landscape beatification can employ drought tolerant and low-irrigation planting, further lowering water demands. Given the increasingly fragile state of water utilities these days, these gestures will continue to save money as water demand continues to rise and water supply dwindles.
Then there is the healing power of architecture, which can mend years of rag-tag additions and re-unify a campus into one consistent aesthetic--all while improving building sustainability and performance. Installing low-e glazing can reduce heating loads, replacing building materials and provide renewed durability, and using new wall, floor, and ceiling finishes can enhance indoor air quality and reinvigorate the interior environment. A progressive approach toward daylighting can lower lighting demands and produce a
friendlier learning atmosphere. And classroom upgrades can improve acoustics, honing speech intelligibility to refine the quality of teaching and verbal interactivity.
All of this, when executed under the confines of a modernization, provide the same results as new construction at a substantial savings, because no one has to worry about setting up brand new utilities, extensive groundwork, or erecting structural elements. Those are several major steps in the construction process the school does not have to finance. And the final result can look just as stunning as if everything had been assembled from scratch. Just look at
Laguna Beach High School or
Valley Christian High School.
So it makes logical sense to encourage modernizations over brand new construction whenever possible, even though the work involved may often be more complicated and stressful. Modernizations are necessities that every school will encounter at some point in their histories, and they are basically a form of
adaptive reuse (or same-use), a hot buzzword in green design these days. Ultimately, however, the biggest payoff is seeing the joy in students' faces when they see their revitalized campus, fresh and new again. The pride and excitement the final product brings is well worth the long, often-messy journey to get there.