CityView Magazine - Fayetteville, NC
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/17354
GOING FOR THE GREEN New Century International Elementary uses technology for the good of students — and the environment By Talia B. Higgs H Designed for renewal | Everything about the school’s design, both inside and outside, was chosen to foster learning and environmental benefits, above, left and on following page. ey kids, what’s bright and quiet and green all over? New Century International Elementary isn’t just Cumberland County’s first “green” school, it’s setting a national standard for public buildings across the country. “The first thing you notice are all the windows,” says Kathy C. Miller, director of operations for Cumberland County Schools. And they do more than serve an aesthetic purpose; they are part of a strategic plan known as “daylighting.” Classrooms are brightened by sunlight pouring through the windows, decreasing the need for electric light. Rooms are also equipped with programmable thermostats and photometric and occupancy sensors so energy isn’t wasted. And then there are the features you can’t see: geothermal heat pumps that draw heat away during warm months and use heat from the earth during the winter. The heat from the ground can also potentially be used to provide hot water. “This is one of the few buildings in the United States that reduces energy in excess of 50 percent,” said Robbie Ferris of SFL+A Architects which designed the school. And when solar panels are added as planned the building will actually produce more energy than it consumes. But more than that, designers believe the building will change the way children learn. A school that uses natural light, quieter mechanical systems and gives teachers greater control over classroom temperature is sure to reduce absenteeism, Ferris said. “We believe it’s a high-performance building,” he said. “That doesn’t mean it just reduces energy, it also means a building that impacts test scores.” Construction of the revolutionary new school began more than a year ago with John S. Clark Company, LLC of Wilmington. With 44 classrooms, two of which are dedicated to pre-school students, and rooms for music and art classes, the school has the capacity for an estimated 900 students. Students, teachers and staff moved into the school this fall with Principal Felix Keyes at the helm. And to say they are excited about the new building might be an understatement. When Keyes first saw the building for himself, “I thought I’d died and gone to heaven,” he said. “It’s such CityViewNC.com | 65