Affordable daylighting

The Idaho Science and Technology Charter School Board is mindful of the health of its students, and their place in the community as leader and role model for good stewardship of resources. The Board also wants a beautiful building on a budget. The building shows the technology of its construction so it can be a live-in teaching tool. Designs reflect the Board’s concern about energy, air quality, carbon and warming, sustainability, and scarce water resources in an economical and straightforward design that uses common and familiar materials that are competitive in this southeast Idaho market.

There is powerful evidence that natural light promotes learning by virtue of its beneficial effects on the overall health and development of students and on the performance and job satisfaction of staff; therefore, one powerful and organizing design element is daylighting and vistas for classrooms and north facing high-wall daylighting for commons areas, corridors and gymnasium. The resulting architecture is highly articulated and tells the story of what this building is about. The Commons is a multi-use space that is the focal point of daily activity outside the classrooms. Light colored split faced masonry block, sealed concrete floors and open natural wood trussed roof structure combine with high-wall windows and lots of light to provide an open and durable “forum”

Other health benefits include design to reduce or eliminate VOC’s and other toxins in materials and interior air. Simple low energy consuming HVAC systems are provided with individual classroom controls for maximum local controllability. All systems follow a well thought out kiss principle – economy and ease of maintenance is preferred over complex and expensive systems. This reduces energy costs and provides a high degree of zoning and control for each room. Reduced water use and low irrigation landscaping will minimize potable water use and discharge.